


Forbidden Fruit Never Tasted So Sweet

by SkyChasingDreamer



Category: Gintama
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Anal Sex, Blood, Bloodplay, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Kissing, M/M, Rough Sex, Sexual Content, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-22 01:09:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 34,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1570403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyChasingDreamer/pseuds/SkyChasingDreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Helping Kondo run a manor is both tough work and very time consuming, now, add into that a lover that isn't exactly... human... and Hijikata has a bit of a situation on his hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Hijikata walks into his bedchamber and frowns at the closed double doors leading out onto the balcony. It's not the sight he'd wanted to see, but it's the sight he's most used to so there's nothing to be done about it. He's frustrated, has been for a fortnight and counting, and it's starting to make him anxious.

 

Huffing, he closes the heavy wooden door behind him and walks his brass candle holder over to his desk. He uses his candle to light a few more and walks around his room, lighting ones here and there, creating light enough to see by. He doesn't burn too many though, he likes to keep his room fairly dark in the evenings with just a light amber glow cast upon the walls. He likes watching the flames flicker and the shadows dance, it can be mesmerizing and it can help him fall asleep on the nights when he's restless.

 

Hijikata takes off his overcoat and hangs it up in his closet that's across from the bed. The room is much too large for just him, but Kondo insists he have it and while he feels it's too excessive, he'll admit that it has grown on him. There's just something alluring about having spacious quarters where he can stretch and spread out, but his favorite is hands down the balcony. He looks over to it and instead of undoing his vest, he walks over to the glass doors leading outside. Deep redwood frames the glass that's fashioned into symmetrical shapes that look like reminiscent of flames, he has always been drawn to them.

 

Turning the lock, he opens both doors wide and a breeze hits him full in the face. It makes the linen white drapes on either side of him billow as he steps outside and the fresh air feels good. It was a warm day out and it can get so stuffy when he has to stay inside, but with the night comes a reprieve from the humidity. The sky is cloudless and clear, the stars shining brightly astride a crescent moon. He walks out to the edge of the balcony and puts his hands on the cool stone of the banister, his eyes roaming over the ground below as goosebumps rise up over his flesh.

 

The rustling of leaves is all he hears and on nights like this, he can kind of understand why poets relate the sound to hushed whisperings. His eyes rove over the fields and the forest, the shrubs and the road, every acre familiar to him. This place has been his home for years and he never thought the quiet and solitude would grow on him as much as it has. By carriage, it's ten minutes to the nearest town and it's a fairly large town at that, so it's nice, quaint. He takes a deep breath and fills his lungs with the scent of wheat and barely from the storehouse around the corner.

 

The stables are on the other side of the manor, something that he's glad about because while he does like it here, the smell of manure pisses him off. He's not a fan of the horses or the livestock, the first time he ever rode a horse it'd thrown him and he remembers how much his ass had hurt afterward. Sougo had given him shit for walking like he had a stick shoved up his ass for _days_ , though, there _is_ a cow he likes, but he won't ever tell anyone that. It's just a milk cow and it's the only animal that has ever seemed to tolerate him, not even the dogs pay Hijikata any mind.

 

Scanning the area one last time, his stomach dropping, he goes back inside, but leaves the doors open. He returns to his closet and takes off his shoes, but once again thwarts himself from changing into his sleeping clothes. He glances around his room like before, but this time slower, looking at every detail. His four post canopy bed has its drapes tied back against each post and the plush comforter is pristine. He's a stickler about making his bed every morning... on most days. There aren't many things in his room that are out of place and he doesn't abide by dust, he's far too sensitive to things like that and won't waste his time sneezing. He never used to like the dark mahogany vanity bureau with a mirror overhead, but that's another thing that has grown accustomed to.

 

Taking off his socks, he puts them in his dirty laundry hamper and brushes his hands against his trousers. The wood is cold beneath his feet and it makes him shiver, but there's no need to put his jacket back on. He shuffles over to his desk and pulls out his cigarette tin from a pocket within his vest. He has been wanting one for awhile now and he's too restless to put himself to bed yet, especially since there's still a chance....

 

Shaking his head, he sits in his chair and uses the candle to light his cigarette. The very first puff does wonders for him and he lets the smoke out slowly after holding it in long enough for it to burn. Cigarette between his lips, he turns his attention to the papers littered over his desk and starts sorting them out. Sealed letters, reports, missives, reminders, they each go into their own piles. This is just part of his duties and really, he doesn't mind paperwork so much. He starts with the letters since they're usually more important and after breaking the seal on the first one and skimming it over, he pulls out his paper, pen, and ink. This one will require a reply and he knows it'll need to be sent out tomorrow, he'll send Yamazaki with it first thing in the morning.

 

He dips the nib of his pen into the ink and starts writing, occasionally pausing to read over his work and smoke. He doesn't like writing letters, one mistake and he'll have to start over and his handwriting isn't the best. Plus, a lot of times he has to be really formal and _polite_ and he has a suspicion that Kondo gave him this responsibility on purpose just to force him to act halfway tolerant of other people's idiocy. He smothers his cigarette in a nearby tray and is just about ready to pull out another one and light up when –

 

“Nice night, isn't it?”

 

His heart jumps, he hadn't heard the bastard coming, and he jolts to the sound of his voice. Gintoki's standing over by the bed, relaxed and leaning against the post nearest Hijikata. He's wearing his usual black cloak and the rest of what he's wearing is black as well with some crimson red mixed in. He has a ring on the pointer finger of his right hand and the boots he has on are void of dirt. The moonlight offsets him against the door, making him an eery silhouette with gleaming red eyes and his skin is so pale it has a faint glow to it.

 

“W-where the hell have you been?”

 

“Ah, ah, ah...” Gintoki chastises, walking over with a graceful stride, his boots barely making noise against the wood. He takes off his cloak with a flick of his fingers against the clasp as he walks and lets it fall to the floor behind him. Reaching Hijikata, he smirks and leans in close, whispering, “Fuck first, talk after.”

 

Hijikata glares, but when Gintoki smirks turns into a smile that shows off his fangs, his stomach flips and his palms start to sweat. He wants to put up more of a fight, wants to punish this cocky permy haired creature of the night, but... that can wait. He decides that as Gintoki leans in and kisses him with soft, plush lips and Hijikata's willpower evaporates. Gintoki has been gone too long and his mouth feels too damn good for him to want to waste any time right now bickering.

 

His hands go up and sink into Gintoki's hair and he gets lifted up out of his chair. Deft fingers strips him of his vest and undershirt, each falling away from him so quickly he doesn't remember the buttons being undone. He's too wrapped up in the kisses, each one demanding and firm, yet somehow gentle. Gintoki's mouth is cool against his own, but no less inviting and in fact, it's addicting. A tongue slides into his mouth at the same moment a hand follows the curve of his ass and he moans. Despite being able to keep busy, he has missed this and there isn't even a part of him anymore that's telling him he's doing something wrong.

 

“Did you lock the door?” Gintoki asks, his breathing even where Hijikata's isn't.

 

“N-no.”

 

“Oh, my,” the sound of his chuckle is a purr as he kisses his way along Hijikata's jaw, “we can't have that.”

 

Hijikata starts to tilt his head to show off his neck, but Gintoki releases him and moves away. He'll do that sometimes, be there one second and be gone the next, and Hijikata thinks he has a good idea as to why, but he doesn't say it. He watches Gintoki lock the door and his cock is already hard in his trousers. He can't look away as Gintoki starts taking off his own clothes, showing off more of that pale skin, and it makes his fingers twitch at his sides.

 

But he has never been one to be utterly uninvolved and so unbuttons his trousers and goes to the bed. He kicks them away and turns around, sitting on the edge of the thick feather bed. Gintoki's shirtless now and his pants are loose around his waist, one solid twist of his hips away from falling. Hijikata can see his happy trail leading up to a strong chest, his shoulders broad and smooth. There's a feral look about him and the walk he's stalking forward, much like a predator out on a hunt. His boots have been kicked off and the candlelight sends glints of faint yellow and orange dancing over his skin.

 

“Have you been opening the doors every night for me?”

 

“Don't kid yourself,” Hijikata replies, his dick throbbing, but he refuses to touch himself. “Just wanted some fresh air.”

 

“Uh-huh, I'm sure.”

 

In a blink, Gintoki is on him. Their mouths are pressed together again and Hijikata gets lifted and moved farther onto the bed until he's flat on his back with Gintoki covering him. The speed is something he's still not used to, but he likes it, always has. He wraps his arms around Gintoki's neck and moans in blessed relief when a thigh presses against his cock. His hips buck and he ruts himself into the weight, relishing the feel of a muscular body beneath his fingers.

 

Arousal alights in his cheeks and makes it feel like the room is that much hotter despite the balcony doors still being wide open. His hands move downward until he reaches Gintoki's pants and he pushes at those until the other's hips rock to get himself out of them. It's all passion, lips and tongue and touches, Gintoki's body pressing against his own, skin on skin. The noises get harder and harder to hold back and when Gintoki's mouth moves away from his own, he doesn't even try. A groan comes tearing out of him and he shudders in Gintoki's hold, gripping him tighter to keep him close. Gintoki's mouth skims over his neck and down to his shoulder where he starts kissing. Hijikata waits in anticipation, wanting this so much he's damn near trembling for it.

 

“C'mon,” he urges, impatiently squeezing his legs around Gintoki's hips, “h-hurry up!”

 

“Hurry what up?” Gintoki asks, shooting Hijikata a glance that's wrought with mischief.

 

“You know!”

 

“Do I?”

 

Hijikata hits his shoulder and the bastard doesn't even so much as grunt under the force of it. “Yes!”

 

For a moment, it seems like Gintoki is going to tease him again, but instead, much to Hijikata's relief, that's not what happens. Gintoki's pupils blow wider and he lowers his head back to Hijikata's chest, kissing and licking. His muscles ripple and Hijikata's dick pulses where it's pressed deliciously between Gintoki's thigh and his own stomach. A sweat has started to form on his brow and his lips are parted to let out his wet anticipatory pants. Gintoki's hands touch him with purpose and they never hesitate, each movement is confident and that's such an alluring quality. He knows he's in good hands, capable ones, ones he can give himself to and trust.

 

The first nick of one of Gintoki's fangs makes Hijikata's whole body twitch and a breath catches in his throat. His back arches him more into Gintoki's mouth and he shudders so hard as the other laps up the blood coming from the cut. It's not a very deep cut, but it's near one of Hijikata's collarbones, so it's sensitive and he yearns for it. The sharp stab of pain followed by pleasure, the ache remaining for a couple days – sometimes more if the cuts are deep enough – he craves it. He's a glutton for their carnal nights together trading different forms of ecstasy and from what he can tell, Gintoki is too.

 

The way Gintoki's mouth moves over Hijikata's chest, picking out another spot to nibble on, though, he has never fully bitten. He's too careful for that, too cautious, but Hijikata knows that Gintoki has come close several times to just sinking his teeth in and drinking. He always catches himself before he does it and since he can't – won't – bite Hijikata, Gintoki has to get the blood by other means. Through cuts and scrapes and scratches, none of which Hijikata minds, but he won't deny that he secretly desires for Gintoki to lose himself and do more. It's not something they talk about, but it always seems to be there hanging between them.

 

“You're going to cum,” Gintoki says in a thick rumble and a bit of an accent that sneaks out from time to time. “And then I'm going to fuck you and make you cum again.”

 

Hijikata moans and the sound gets louder when Gintoki's fang creates a scratch above his left pectoral. Not a drop of blood gets missed as Gintoki's tongue soothes over it, easing the sting under careful administrations. Grabbing a fistful of Gintoki's hair, Hijikata tugs him up for a kiss and it gets him each and every single time when he can taste the coppery tang in Gintoki's mouth.

 

“Okay,” Hijikata mumbles out between kisses, breathing ragged.

 

He's already close, it's not going to take much more to get him to cum all over himself and he's sure Gintoki's well aware. The cuts sting and he can feel blood welling up, but he knows Gintoki will soon be taking care of that and cleaning him up, that's just one of the many things that come with dating a vampire.

 

**To Be Continued**

 


	2. Red is the Color of Evil and Blood and Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata's relationship with his immortal lover deepens and the more it does, the farther Hijikata sinks into it.

Hijikata half-dozes in the curve of Gintoki's arm, his body aching pleasantly. He doesn't like to fall asleep when Gintoki's here, too many times he has woken up to find Gintoki gone with nothing left behind. He hates that and the best and easiest solution to avoid it happening is for Hijikata to not fall asleep no matter how tired he might be. It doesn't help that Gintoki keeps nosing at his temple, gentle little nudges and kisses so light they're more a whisper against his skin, it's relaxing.

“So...” Hijikata begins drowsily, “where've you been?”

“Out.”

“Tell me somethin' I don't know.”

“Oh, there are many, many things you don't know. Where should I begin?”

Hijikata raises his head to glare at him. “T'ch, as if you'd ever actually tell me.”

“I've got to keep the mystery alive, right?”

“No, you don't _have_ to,” Hijikata replies and tries to keep acting put off, but all Gintoki has to do is kiss him and he pretty much forgets about it. 

It's only a light peck to his lips, but right after Hijikata is tilting his head up for more. This is yet another reason why he doesn't want to sleep because when he's unconscious, he can't get this. Gintoki cups his cheek with a palm and turns his head up a little more before he leans down for a kiss. There's always something exhilarating about kissing Gintoki, general feeling of mouth on mouth aside.

Every time they kiss, Gintoki has to be careful. His fangs are so sharp and cut through flesh so easily, most of the time Hijikata's doesn't even feel it at first it's so delicate. But he can feel how hard Gintoki tries to be careful when they're calm and quiet and pressed together like this. Gintoki also never really denies Hijikata anything, aside from certain pieces of information. Their relationship is... different for obvious reasons, but for some strange reason, it works.

Gintoki stays raised above Hijikata and presses him back into the bed where his arm cradles Hijikata's head. They're wrapped up together, one of Gintoki's legs has slid between Hijikata's, and the sheets are pulled up to their waists. Only the sheets though, the comforter has been kicked down to the base of the bed because Hijikata gets too hot if that's on them. Gintoki's body isn't exactly warm, but when they're together Hijikata gets so heated despite that, like Gintoki's mere presence ignites something within him.

“M'gonna be so sore tomorrow,” Hijikata complains halfheartedly and smirks when Gintoki makes a pleased rumbling sound.

Gintoki slides their lips back together and Hijikata always finds himself marveling at that noise. He can't place it, doesn't have a name for it, and he supposes it's some vampire thing, but it's another thing that makes him flush. He used to hate how much this bastard can make his face heat up, but now he doesn't see a point in trying to hide it. Makes it easier, too, knowing that Gintoki likes it – possibly because Gintoki himself doesn't get any color to his cheeks ever. Hijikata secretly thinks it's a shame, Gintoki would probably look very appealing with some pink staining those high cheekbones of his.

“You good for another round?”

Hijikata groans. “Bastard, not even close.”

The way Gintoki keeps acting, it feels like he's the one that missed this the most, especially when he makes another rumbling sound. It's low and goes straight into Hijikata's mouth, he can also feel it reverberate through Gintoki's body. He likes how it rolls through Gintoki after building up in his chest and goes along his spine, almost like a little shudder. Hijikata presses his tongue into Gintoki's mouth and one of his fangs accidentally nicks the side of Hijikata's tongue. He only knows because he tastes blood and seconds later he can feel the tiny sting, but it doesn't really hurt. He has gotten used to the taste of his blood and it might be weird, but he doesn't mind it.

They keep kissing and Gintoki doesn't back off, just keeps pressing in for more and more. Hijikata's so willing to give it to him, but there's a bit of difference in the way Hijikata needs to breathe compared to the way Gintoki doesn't. He can feel himself getting lightheaded, but he doesn't want to stop, Gintoki's lips always feel so good against his, soft and demanding. Gintoki's fangs don't cut him anymore, only because Hijikata can feel him soften his kisses and be more careful. There are times he'll cut Hijikata on purpose, but in these moments he's so cautious and gentle, the scrape of his fangs so light.

“Mmg,” Hijikata groans and takes a gasping breath when Gintoki moves to the side, kissing along his jaw.

He takes quick breaths, trying to get as much oxygen back as he can, but it doesn't feel like he's getting enough. Gintoki must know he needs to breathe because he fits his face in the crook of Hijikata's neck and takes a deep breath. His mouth is open and the air that comes out is cool, but it feels good. He knows he's in no danger, which is odd considering there's a top predator barely a breath away pressing his mouth toward Hijikata's neck. Gintoki takes another deep breath and Hijikata's sure it's only meant to be innocent, but it so quickly becomes so much more than that. It's such a simple thing, the shift so subtle, but in an instant, Hijikata can feel how Gintoki's struggling. 

Gintoki slowly tenses beneath his fingers and his breaths come out a bit shallower against Hijikata's neck. It's erotic, the air has changed, it's thicker, heavier, more charged. Hijikata takes a tremulous breath and Gintoki seems to press more firmly into him, insistently getting closer and closer. Gintoki's whole body shudders and Hijikata's toes curl in anticipation. His head falls back and though Gintoki's really not doing anything, Hijikata's still left trying to fight off a moan. He's so caught up in it, his willpower is shot, he doesn't want to push Gintoki away, it doesn't even cross his mind.

“B-bite,” he whispers, his voice thick, “do it.”

Gintoki stiffens and moves away with a firm, “No, I can't.”

Hijikata's just able to grab onto Gintoki and keep him from getting to far away. He knows Gintoki can pull away with little effort and be on the other side of the room and out the door in the span of seconds, but Gintoki still stops at the tug. This is one of the only times Gintoki really gets worked up and Hijikata can see him struggling. Most things about Gintoki are subtle and layered, but not this. His whole body is stiff and rigid and his eyes are brighter, redder, _burning_. It's like there's an ember that caught fire within his iris and though he has stopped, he keeps staring. Not at Hijikata, but at his neck, right where his mouth had been. His mouth is open just enough for the tips of his fangs to be seen and he's so focused that he doesn't even blink – though, Hijikata has speculated before that there's a chance Gintoki doesn't _need_ to blink.

“Don't go,” Hijikata says and tightens his grip on Gintoki's bicep. “Just – ah, turn away? We don't have to... d-do anything. So, stay?”

Slowly, so slowly, Gintoki's eyes move from Hijikata's neck up to his face. His struggle is written all over his face, for a second it almost seems like he's in pain with the way his face becomes so drawn, in another second Hijikata's tensing because it looks like Gintoki is going to lunge forward. Gintoki's statuesque, he's so still, and upon closer inspection, he's not even breathing. But in the end, Gintoki lets out a long measured breath and slumps down. He moves back just enough so they're not touching and hunkers down onto to stomach where he buries his face into the pillow in such a way that he can still peek over with one eye.

“Sorry.”

“Don't worry about it,” Hijikata replies and since he's not holding onto Gintoki anymore, he shoves his hand beneath his pillow as he curls up on his side facing the other. “Feel like it was kinda my fault....”

“No. Nothing you can control, anyway.”

Hijikata licks his lips, trying to figure out what to say or do next. Gintoki is usually gone by now, whenever he has a bout like that he typically leaves right when it starts or very shortly thereafter. Sometimes he tries to beat it and get out before it hits him, but this time... Hijikata doesn't know why it's different, but he's glad Gintoki stayed. Now, if only he knew what's okay and what isn't instead of going in blind and trying to figure it out via trial and error.

“How....”

Gintoki's brow raises. “Yes?”

“How old are you?”

He can see the edge of Gintoki's mouth as he smirks. “Old enough.”

“Is everything you say going to be evasive? Seems like every time I ask you something, you give me something vague in return. It's really starting to piss me off.”

“I'm very frustrating, told you that in the beginning, didn't I?”

“You did, but that's no excuse anymore.”

Gintoki shifts onto his side so they're facing each other and mirrors Hijikata's position. “Is that so? Very well, I must keep my human happy, so, you can ask one question if you answer one of my own in return.”

“I have more than one question.”

“One for now.”

Hijikata narrows his eyes. “And you'll be honest?”

Gintoki grins and draws a cross over his own heart, replying, “Vampire's honor.”

There's so many questions that come to mind, it's hard for Hijikata to choose just one. The more he thinks, the more it dawns on him that he knows next to nothing about Gintoki. He only really knows the on the surface stuff, but Gintoki is so good about not going into depth about anything and he's a master of deflection. He... needs more time to think.

“You first.”

Gintoki nods and opens his mouth, getting out just one syllable. That's strange for him, he doesn't usually hesitate like this.

Only a second more passes before Gintoki's expression minutely changes and he asks, “How've you been since I left? Leave nothing out.”

Oh, he hadn't been expecting that one.

“I've been fine, I guess. Busy.”

“I said leave nothing out.”

“Ah... well, you know what I do. A few days ago Sougo stuffed a dumpling with horse shit and tried to get me to try it. Some of the crops got eaten by bugs, so we need to find a way to avoid that.” Hijikata keeps talking, trying to recall everything that has happened since he last had Gintoki in his bed. He goes into as much detail as he can and doesn't reflect on the fact that what has put him the most at ease is having Gintoki back. Maybe there's something about having a natural predator in his room that makes him feel safe, which he'll admit is mighty fucked up. “So, yeah, that's about it. There's some letters I need to answer, that's what I was doing when you got here.”

Gintoki blinks and there's a smile on his face, a small one. “That sounds nice. Alright, what's your question?”

“First, you have to answer the age one, too.” Gintoki opens his mouth to probably contest it, but Hijikata continues, “You know how old I am it's only fair I know the same about you.”

Gintoki's cheeks puff out, but he huffs and mutters, “Fine, agreed. Ask your question.”

“Okay, I think I want to start with knowing where you're from.”

“South of here,” Gintoki replies easily, “about a hundred and eighty miles or so. I could tell you the name, but that's rather irrelevant considering it no longer exists.”

“And your age?”

“Forever frozen at the youthful age of twenty-eight.”

Hijikata's heart is pounding, he can't believe he's actually getting some answers. He even has to take a calming breath and force himself to slow down so he doesn't fire off all the other questions gathering right there on the tip of his tongue.

“Okay, but... how _long_ have you been twenty-eight?”

“Ah, ah, that's three questions.”

“No, that's included with the age question!”

Gintoki watches him and a slow smile spreads across his face. It's so genuine that it steals Hijikata's breath for a second and his thoughts scatter, leaving him grappling for anything, but he only comes up blank.

“Guess.”

“Who – w-what?”

“Guess,” Gintoki repeats and fuck, he _knows_ why Hijikata's floundering. “Guess how old I am if you want to know so bad.”

Hijikata's face is hot and he stumbles over the words, “I – ah, shit. One hundred?” Gintoki slides an arm over and rests his hand on Hijikata's hip. “Um... f-fifty?” Gintoki's hand starts to move away, so Hijikata quickly blurts, “Hundred and ten!” His hand stays put and gives Hijikata's hip a squeeze. “A-alright, hundred and fifty.” Gintoki traces his hand along Hijikata's side and wriggles a little closer. “U-uhm... two hundred?”

“Getting there,” Gintoki replies and in an instant has Hijikata on his back.

Hijikata slides his arms around Gintoki's shoulders and hooks a leg over his hip. “Two hundred and fifty?” Gintoki moves away only a fraction and Hijikata spouts out, “Two hundred and fifteen? Two hundred and ten? Two hundred and twenty-five?”

“Shh,” Gintoki silences him with a kiss and whispers against his lips, “I'm two hundred and thirty-two.”

Hijikata can only stare. That's... huge. But his first thought right now isn't to ask more questions or to delve into what he just found out, it's to hold Gintoki tighter and try for something Gintoki has always refused.

“Will you stay tomorrow? There are only two keys to my room, I obviously have one and Kondo lost the other one. He says he can't remember where, but I think it fell out of his pocket when his love interest threw him into the river.” He runs a hand through Gintoki's hair. “No one will bother you or even know you're here.”

Gintoki's eyes flicker like flint and it's another one of those times where Hijikata has no idea what's going through his mind. He holds his breath knowing Gintoki is deliberating and tries to make the idea more appealing by scratching his nails along Gintoki's shoulders and he keeps petting his hand through the soft curls of his perm.

“Alright, just because you asked so nicely.”

Gintoki's fangs glint before he seals it with a kiss and Hijikata's heart jumps in his chest.

**To Be Continued**

 


	3. There's no Night Light When the Candles are Blown Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata gets more and more wrapped up with his vampire and starts to realize that the way things are between them aren't going to be enough for him in the very near future.

Hijikata slowly comes to and instinctively reaches an arm out... to an empty bed. His heart jumps and his eyes fly open, already looking for Gintoki as he sits up. The panic is so _real,_ real enough to make his stomach twist, and he doesn't even try to hide the relieved sagging of his shoulders when he sees Gintoki's silhouette by the balcony doors. He's even panting, that's how much not having Gintoki there gets to him, and that part he does try to hide.

He can't really make out Gintoki's expression or if he's looking because his whole body is dark. The sky is the faintest pink and orange behind him because the sun has begun to rise, though Gintoki seems unconcerned. He's leaning against the door frame and the way the pale drape on that side wisps around him makes him appear almost like an apparition. Hijikata rubs the sleep from his eyes just in case and it's so relieving when he opens them again and Gintoki's still standing there.

“Stand there much longer... will you burn?” Hijikata asks in a low tone knowing Gintoki will hear him.

Gintoki's chuckle makes the hairs on the back of Hijikata's neck rise. “Well, I certainly won't sparkle.”

“Oh? Vampires don't twinkle in the sunlight?”

“Not real ones, no.”

“Darn.” Gintoki is still behind the veil of the drape flowing in the breeze and he's still so dark, just a shadow, but Hijikata finds comfort it in. “Why're you so far away? Not thinking about leaving, are you?”

“I have no desire to leave this close to sunrise, particularly not without any clothes on.”

“So you're all the way over there because...?”

“I can smell your morning breath.”

A hand slaps over Hijikata's mouth and he flushes in embarrassment, squeaking, “W-what?”

“Joking!” Gintoki's suddenly sitting on the edge of the bed and reaches out to grab Hijikata's wrist and gently pull it away from his mouth. “Kind of. I didn't mean to wake you.” Hijikata purses his lips and shakes his head, refusing to speak. Gintoki's thumb lightly runs over the soft inside of Hijikata's wrist and he says, “Aww, I told you I was only joking. Let me hear your voice, you know how much I like it.”

Hijikata's face gets even redder. “L-let me clean up.”

“Then you'll come back and put me to bed?” Hijikata nods and Gintoki glances at the balcony doors, then adds, “Hurry?”

Nodding, Hijikata gets out of bed and has to grab onto the post to keep himself upright. His legs feel weak and there's a pain in his lower back from their rather strenuous activities throughout the night. It doesn't take him long to get moving though, this is a pain he's used to and it's not the worst he has ever felt afterward. He flushes a little as he goes to the closet and grabs a towel to wrap around his waist. The latrine is just outside his door and he's sure no one will be in there so early, so he's not worried he'll have to wait in the hall.

He grabs some clothes and his bathroom kit, then heads out, saying, “I'll be back.”

He doesn't look at Gintoki, he knows he'll just get sidetracked. As expected, the hall is empty and the bathroom is vacant, though it smells like the cooks have started breakfast. It makes his stomach snarl, he's absolutely ravished after... being ravished. Growling at the blush he feels heat his cheeks, he closes the door behind him and gets to work. He has every intention of hurrying and he wants to say it's because Gintoki had requested it, but the truth is he really just wants to get back.

Gintoki is staying.

He's _staying_.

He never stays, not ever. Hijikata has offered several times, but Gintoki always turns him down and so Hijikata had quit asking for awhile. He's interested, he wants to know so many things that Gintoki just evades time and time again. But he's finally giving in and Hijikata will _take it_.

Opening his kit, he gets in front of the mirror and blurts, “Oh my god!”

He looks awful! Immediately, he turns on the water and the pipes groan as the water slowly starts coming out. He cups his hands and splashes the collective water in his face, then grabs a cloth to soak it and start washing. He scrubs the sweat and other bodily fluids from his skin, then cusses when he realizes he doesn't have time to run a bath. Taking a bar of soap from his kit, he starts hand washing himself and refuses to look at the mirror again until he's done. He'd looked like he'd stayed up all night having sex and he can't fucking walk around the manor like that!

“Shit,” he mutters and scrubs harder.

The cuts sting and he cleans them carefully, shuddering every time he touches them. None of them are in places anyone can see when he has his clothes on, Gintoki is always very cautious when it comes to that. Cleaning his hair proves difficult, but he manages to dampen it under the faucet and lather soap into it. He gets some suds in his right eye when he rinses and that makes him grumpy, but he finishes the job. His teeth come next and he washes his face a second time while he's at it just to be safe. Shutting off the water, he uses the towel to dry himself and scrubs his hair which never takes long to dry.

Changing into the trousers he'd chosen, he puts them on and slips into his button up shirt, but doesn't button it. Only then does he look back up into the mirror and he looks better, less haggard. What Gintoki must think! That bastard never looks roughed up or raddled, he's always perfectly collected and it's frustrating. Messing with his hair as best he can, then starts packing his things back into the kit. He leaves his shirt unbuttoned and berates himself for being so careless in leaving the room wearing only his towel, anyone could have walked by and seen his cuts and bruises. He has thought a lot about what he'd say if anyone did happen to notice anything and his arguments are pretty weak. He doesn't have a good defense or story to explain them away, not anything someone might fully believe anyway, so he needs to stay careful.

Leaving the bathroom, he goes back to his room, but stops and takes a breath before entering. It's for luck, it steels him. He believes Gintoki will be here still, but regardless, his gut squirms with nerves that he won't be. It's stupid and he feels lame, so he opens the door and drops his kit on the floor in shock. The sun has risen enough for the very top to show and it shines its rays through the open doors right into the room. Gintoki's sitting on the bed, the covers up to his waist, his back against the headboard, and he's watching it. The shades aren't closed, there's nothing in the way to stop the light from hitting Gintoki, and there's barely any space between him and the sunlight. It has creeped along the floor and up the bed, just a few more minutes and it'll fill the room completely.

“What're you doin', you big idiot?” Hijikata rushes over and forcefully yanks the drapes closed on that side to block Gintoki from the rays. He's furious and his heart is in his throat as he yells, “What were you just gonna sit here until you roasted?”

“You don't know if I'd roast or not,” says Gintoki, calm as ever.

Hijikata storms to the open side of the bed and glares. “Don't gimme any of your riddle bullshit, that was too close. Don't do it again.”

“Or you'll what?”

“Quit it! I don't c-care if you coulda moved outta the way in time, don't ever fuckin' do that again!”

Gintoki smirks and inclines his head. “As you wish.”

Hijikata sits on the edge of the bed and takes a deep breath as he messes with his vest. He can't quite get the buttons to do what he wants, his fingers are fumbling too much in his anger.

“I'll keep myself busy for awhile,” his words are clipped, “there's some stuff I know I need to get done today, but I'll be up to check on you.”

Arms wrap around him and Gintoki's nimble fingers finish the job with ease as he says, “You mean make sure I'm still here.”

“That's p-part,” Gintoki's palms have spread over Hijikata's chest and the way Gintoki's nosing at the back of his neck makes it hard to think, let alone be angry, “of it, yeah.”

“I'll be here.”

“You'd better be.”

He can feel Gintoki breathing against his neck, right on the knob at the top of his spine, and he shudders. Teeth skim over his skin and he holds perfectly still, his breaths coming out in quiet pants. Gintoki presses up right behind him, back to chest, and Hijikata knows he's not wearing any clothes still. Kisses are pressed to his neck, light and slow, and Hijikata bites his lip when he feels a tongue flick out. Gintoki noses into his hair and his hands map out Hijikata's chest, pausing at the places the cuts are.

“I'll be here,” Gintoki repeats in a soft purr and Hijikata's stomach swoops.

“I've gotta get s-started.”

“So, go.”

Preparing himself, Hijikata stands up and Gintoki's arms fall away. He goes to the closet and gets his jacket, wincing slightly as he puts it on because he's so sore. He startles a little when Gintoki appears behind him to straighten it out.

“You know, it's almost like you don't want me to leave.”

Gintoki turns him around and his lids lower. “If you really wanted to go, you'd stay out of the shadows.”

The sun hasn't reached this part of the room yet and Hijikata has no comeback. He leans forward and kisses Gintoki instead of answering, he'll just make himself look foolish if he tried to come up with anything. His body molds against Gintoki's and he can feel every inch of him through his clothes. It's like a tease and he wants to blow off his duties to just stay in bed all day, but that would look way too suspicious.

“N-need to go,” Hijikata mumbles out, but it's him that goes in for more kisses.

Gintoki hums and wraps his arms firmly around Hijikata's waist, keeping his close. His arms feel like iron bars and Hijikata can't move, not even if he wanted to. Gintoki's nails are pinpricks through the cloth and they feel so sharp like this, but they'd been so gentle inside of him, stretching him, prepping him. His asshole twitches and he presses closer, arms around Gintoki's neck as they kiss, heedless of the morning light. It's so easy for Hijikata to throw himself into Gintoki with abandon, to forget all else and just get lost in him. He thinks it might be a vampire thing, allure or something, but mostly he thinks it's just Gintoki. How he holds himself, the way he speaks, his movements, the sound of his voice, his touches, Hijikata craves each and every single thing.

He feels Gintoki cock stirring against his thigh and he doesn't pull away from it, though he knows he should. He's getting dangerously close to pushing Gintoki toward the bed or to move over to his desk and sit down and let Gintoki between his legs. His tongue presses into Gintoki's mouth, mindful of his fangs, and he gets a stronger taste of him. Gintoki has a unique taste and it's never muddled by bad breath, it's consistent and as addicting as the rest of him.

Hijikata's fingers curl against Gintoki's skin and though his nails are pressing in hard, he knows he's not leaving much of a mark. So much of Gintoki is hard, but his skin feels soft like lavender and the inside of his mouth is velvety. Hijikata presses his leg farther between Gintoki's to give him some friction and in answer, Gintoki lets out a pleased sound, a mix between a grunt and a moan, and his hold on Hijikata gets tighter, more possessive. Eyes shut tight, Hijikata gives more of himself, lets his body bend into Gintoki's and follow every contour of him.

After a loud moan sounds in the back of Hijikata's throat, he finds his back pressed against a wall – no, the door, he can feel the handle against his thigh. His back arches and he tugs on Gintoki's hair just as a fang nicks the inside of Hijikata's lip. It's a tiny cut, but it draws blood and Hijikata sucks Gintoki's tongue into his mouth to make sure he gets a taste. It's not a wise thing to do, but Hijikata isn't exactly about wisdom at the moment. He's just going off feeling, how Gintoki makes him feel, all the things this vampire makes him want to do. He moans again and Gintoki's mouth moves away to kiss his jaw, then nibble at his earlobe.

Hijikata's legs have hooked around Gintoki's hips, he's not even standing on his own two feet anymore. His breaths are ragged, he's already worked up and more than half-hard in his trousers. He's getting lightheaded, Gintoki's nearness taking up his whole world and narrowing it down to this moment. It now seems too big an idea that Gintoki has actually agreed to stay for the day, that Hijikata can come up and see him and touch him whenever he wants. He has never wanted anyone or anything as much as he wants Gintoki and he's _staying_. It might just be for today or until he has to leave again, but one thing is for certain: Hijikata is only going to want more after this.

“Hnngg,” he groans and tries to turn his head to make Gintoki's mouth go lower, but he isn't given the chance.

Gintoki sets him down and pulls away, heading for the bed. “Hopefully that will give you reason not to leave me alone for too long.”

“Bastard,” Hijikata says and starts straightening out his clothes. “I'll come back when I feel like it.”

“I'll be waiting.”

Hijikata stands against the door and watches Gintoki climb into bed and give a smile before closing the rest of the drapes. The rustling within stops and once Hijikata's breathing is under control, he slips out the door knowing without a single doubt that he won't be able to stay away for very long.

**To Be Continued**


	4. Dreams Fight, They Persevere, They Go On, Dreams Always Prevail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vampire stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FOR SILVIAAAAAAA

Hijikata hurries away from the room before the desire to go back overwhelms him. The halls are empty and even though the smell of food makes him so fucking hungry, he skips it to head for the library. He has something on his mind and wants to check it out before he does anything else or rather, before the day really gets going.

He heads down the hall, his body feeling better the more he moves, like walking loosens up the aches. His shoes scuff quietly against the carpet and when he reaches the grand staircase, he makes sure to put his hand on the rail for his descent. There's carpeting on the stairs and he doesn't know why, it's a safety hazard! He has lost count of how many times he has tripped and nearly broken every goddamn bone in his body. He hates these stairs – of all the things in the manor, he has the most animosity for these stairs.

He steps onto the black stones of the grand salon and goes left toward the study. On the opposite side of the salon is the formal dining area, the kitchens, the casual dining area, the keeping room, and the washroom. Where he's going, he'll enter the study and pass through it into the library where he's hoping he'll find what he's looking for. The grand salon is like the epicenter of the whole manor because from it, any area can be reached. It leads to the reception hall at the front and in the back leads out to the terrace where there's a bar and a veranda. The place is huge, way too much space Hijikata will ever need, but that's why he's helping Kondo.

Before he'd arrived, Kondo had been swamped and drowning in all the responsibilities to run the place. Since it's the only manor near the town, Kondo is the one that oversees the livelihood of its people. He's supposed to make sure the town stays healthy and prosperous, but... that's a lot for one man to do. So, in comes Hijikata and he turned this place right around. He keeps up with the livestock, making sure there's enough food to barter should supplies run short, and he takes care of all financial transactions. He pays the help, sends letters and converses with other lords, invites them to treat, and keeps the books up to date to make sure everything is in order and every cent accounted for.

It's the letters he hates the most, he has to sound all nice and pleasant in them. Then, to keep relations good with others, he has to eat with them sometimes and entertain the correspondences and he hates that, too. He's not a social person, he can't just slap a smile on his face and pretend he's having a blast when he's not. Kondo genuinely enjoys it and that makes sense since it fits his personality so well, but Hijikata? No. He doesn't like listening to the complaints or requests of the people, either. That's Kondo's job since he's basically made for that duty. Hijikata doesn't mind when people come to them for help, he's really just shit at dealing with it and handling himself properly in front of people.

So naturally he's baffled as to why the fuck he has a vampire in his bed right now.

"T'ch," he scoffs and goes through the study, eyes flicking around to make sure there's no one around.

He likes the study and the library, they're actually a couple of his favorite rooms. They're always quiet and he can work peacefully in them during the day with few interruptions. The door to the library is heavy and closed, but he turns the brass knob and heaves the door open to get a face full of stale air. Clearing his throat, he goes over to the one of the windows and opens it up to let some fresh air in. It smells like paper in this room – duh, right? Because it's a library – but it's not a musty smell. It's ink and parchment, old and fresh papers, and the  _quiet_. He will always value any peaceful, silent places he can find.

Cool air comes into the room and it even smells fresh, like brambles and flowers from the garden nearby. He turns to the many shelves lined with books and starts a search for what he's looking for. It's not a book he's after, but he knows that what he wants is in here somewhere. There's a couch and two chairs in the room and a short sitting table for comfort. In the winter, Hijikata likes getting the fire going in the stone fireplace and listening to it crackle while he reads his letters and does the bookkeeping.

"Ah! There you are," he says and picks out a thick folder of tanned leather.

Hijikata takes it to the table and files through it, finding the one he wants after a few unsuccessful attempts. He opes the large folded paper up and spreads it out over the table, using the two paperweights there to keep the edges down and stop the edges from trying to curl closed. Hijikata scours the map and traces a calculated line to where a hundred and eighty miles south would be. This has been on his mind ever since Gintoki had said it and he can't fucking believe it, honestly! There's a two hundred and thirty-two year old vampire in his bed!

The map he has is at least a hundred years old and drawn in ink that has long begun to fade, but following his finger down a hundred and eighty miles doesn't lead to any town. There's actually nothing in the area and there isn't many places around it, either. No small towns, no... nothing, really. Gintoki hadn't specified whether he came from a town, but since he'd mentioned not mentioning the name of the place since it no longer exists, that leads Hijikata to believe it was a place large enough to have been named. But there's literally nothing on the map directly south and Gintoki hadn't said southwest or southeast, so...

"Tosshi!" Kondo's voice comes from the study. "Are you back there?"

"Yeah! C'mere for a moment!" Kondo enters and Hijikata taps the map with his pointer finger. "Is this the oldest map we have?"

Kondo walks up to the table and blinks. "I didn't even know we had maps like this."

"Oh."

"Are you... feeling alright, Tosshi? You look a little tired, kind of washed out."

"Ah, yeah, I'm tired." It's not a lie, he was up most of the night! "Didn't sleep much."

"Maybe you should take the day off?"

Hijikata's stomach flips over. "N-no, I don't need that. I can still do my job just fine."

"I'd feel better if you at least took a nap."

"O...kay..." Normally he'd fight it and tell Kondo that he doesn't need it, but... there's a vampire in his room. He can't deny that he doesn't want to get back to Gintoki as soon as he can, he just doesn't want to  _look_  too eager or someone will pick up on that something is up with him. That someone namely being Sougo. "I'll take a nap after lunch."

"Promise me! Last time you said you'd take a nap you ended up pulling an all nighter."

"That was a crisis!" Hijikata regretfully starts folding the map back up and he hopes that Kondo doesn't wonder about it. "There was a drought and the water shortage was driving more people into the town, I  _had_ to stay up and work! I had every intention of taking a nap, it just didn't work out."

"Okay, okay, whatever you say! Ready to start the day?"

"Yeah, I'll be right with you. Where's Yamazaki? I have a letter for him to take out."

"I'll go wake him up!"

"T'ch! He should already be awake! The sun is up!"

Kondo laughs as he leaves and Hijikata slips the map back into its folder. He's disappointed it didn't have what he was looking for, but he's hoping maybe there's another one on the premise that's even older that can tell him more. Putting the folder back on the shelf where he'd found it, he leaves the window open and trails after Kondo. For the first time in the history of ever, Hijikata is actually looking forward to taking a nap.

-o-O-o-

A few hours later, at least four, Hijikata  _carefully_ ascends the cursed stairs with a tray in his hands. It makes him nervous that he can't grab onto the railing, that's why he moves at a snails pace so he doesn't make a mess of things. He'd skipped breakfast – had gotten really busy, actually – but Kondo had had the kitchen staff make him a nice lunch, which he plans on devouring. His stomach is growling at the scent of the casserole in a white ceramic dish and the freshly picked fruits on the side. It's the mayonnaise that's really getting to him though, it's in a container to the side and he keeps eying it.

But then, of course, he's excited to  _nap_  for the obvious reason.

He returns to his room and after getting the door open, stares at the drapes of the canopy that are still closed. They haven't moved and he gets a little anxious thinking maybe Gintoki changed his mind and left, which might be a stupid thought since the sun is up now. Kicking his shoes off, he sets the tray on his desk and doubles back to close the door and lock it. Walking over to the bed, he peeks inside and lets lets out a breath.

There's Gintoki resting on his stomach, head turned away and arms under the pillow. The covers are pulled up to his lower back, which leaves the rest of him on display. Like this, he really does look like he's chiseled out of marble with how pale and smooth his skin is. Hijikata might even call him ethereal, not even the scars look out of place, they look natural and he knows them to be soft under hand.

"Stare all you'd like, but you know touching is better."

Hijikata smirks and doesn't move. "I'm surprised you don't sleep in a coffin."

"Why would I do that when beds are much more comfortable?" Gintoki turns his head, but keeps it resting on the pillow. "Besides, they're awful to lug around."

"You actually have one?"

"Of course I have one, I just prefer the luxuries of feather beds, thank you." He reaches forward and yanks Hijikata's onto the bed by the front of his vest and then the bed is empty. It happens so fast that Hijikata only has time to sit down properly before Gintoki is back with the tray of food in hand. "You're going to eat, I'm tried of listening to your stomach growl."

Hijikata's caught staring – Gintoki still isn't wearing any clothes and it's distracting. Gintoki gets back on the bed and sets the tray down between them, careful not to spill the water that somehow hasn't tipped over with how fast Gintoki moves.

"I'm not sure I have enough mayo," Hijikata says as he strips from his vest and tosses it aside, leaving only his undershirt on.

"We'll work with what we've got." Gintoki picks up the fork and dips a bite of the casserole into the mayo. "Open wide!"

"You're gonna feed me?"

"I never get to do this!"

Hijikata finishes unbuttoning his shirt and sighs before opening his mouth. Like an eager child, Gintoki feeds him and makes a happy sound when Hijikata takes it and chews. It's dark and cool underneath the canopy, maybe even a little chilly since the sun has risen higher and is no longer shining into the room to heat it. Hijikata lets Gintoki feed him another bite before grabbing for the water to take a nice big gulp.

"This is all food you grew here, right?"

"Yeah, that's what's really nice about having such a large estate for farming. The gardens keep us self-sustaining and the crops give us trade and extra revenue."

Gintoki's eyes light up as he offers Hijikata another bite. "Good thing the deer stopped eating everything, huh?"

Hijikata nearly chokes on what he takes into his mouth. "T-that was  _you_?"

"Of course it was me." Gintoki rolls his eyes and picks up an orange slice. "They're easy since they do most of their foraging at night."

Hijikata eats the orange and watches Gintoki poke around at the assortment of fruits with his pointer finger. The blueberries, banana slices, oranges, grapes, they all get pushed around and Hijikata shouldn't be as surprised as he is that Gintoki is the one that saved them from losing most of their crops when the deer got bad. Many think they've been blessed by the gods and that fortune is smiling down on them. He kind of wonders what would happen if any of them knew that it's a vampire lending them a hand and not some god like Holo.

"What was your favorite food?"

"Sweets." A smile turns Gintoki's lips up at the corners and he picks up a grape to offer to Hijikata. "I always ate all the sweets. Pies, chocolates, desserts, the only healthy thing I ever ate was strawberries."

"Really? I never would have guessed that." He takes another sip of water. "What happens if you eat? Like right now, if you popped one of those grapes into your mouth."

In answer, Gintoki does just that – he pops one of the grapes into his mouth, chews, and swallows. He just sits there afterward looking indifferent and Hijikata stares, waiting for something to happen. But nothing does. Second tick by and nothing changes, Gintoki stares back at him, then starts preparing another bite of casserole.

"Sorry if that was anticlimactic." He holds up the fork. "I have no desire to eat this food, it doesn't taste the same to me as it did before, and if I ate much more than a grape I'd throw it back up."

"B-because?"

"I have no digestive system."

"You don't?" Hijikata asks through a mouthful of fruit Gintoki had slipped into his mouth.

Gintoki hesitates, then sighs. "Well, I  _do_ , but it doesn't work. Just like," he taps where his heart is, "this doesn't work either."

"What –"

"I've answered enough of your questions for now," Gintoki interrupts lightly and holds out the last of the casserole.

Hijikata takes it into his mouth and chew thoughtfully while Gintoki sets the tray aside and settles down next to him. He starts pulling at Hijikata undershirt and he shrugs out of it. He feels a lot better now that he has something in his stomach and drinks some water to clear his mouth out. He swishes it around between his cheeks and he'd really like to brush his teeth, but he doesn't want to leave. He knows Gintoki won't let him leave, either, so he has to settle for a water rinse.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Huh?"

Gintoki kisses at Hijikata's bare shoulder and gently pushes him down onto the bed. "The map, did it have what you wanted?"

Hijikata stiffens as Gintoki straddles him. "Y-you know about that?"

"My hearing is far better than yours," Gintoki replies against the center of Hijikata's chest. His tongue comes out and he licks a long line between Hijikata's pecs. "I've been listening for you all morning."

"T-then, ah, then you'd know I didn't f-find anything."

Gintoki makes a noncommittal sound and the pointer finger of his left hand slowly circles Hijikata's nipple. "Well, unlike you, I found something  _very_  interesting."

Hijikata's mouth is dry and like always, he finds it hard to think. Gintoki's touch is so sure and confident, his voice the very embodiment of silk, it's unfair by a large margin. His heart is beating so hard already and he knows Gintoki can hear it loud and clear, it makes his face flush.

"Y-yeah?"

Gintoki reaches over with his right hand and pulls something out from under his pillow. Hijikata isn't looking, so he doesn't see it until Gintoki is holding the long red strip of fabric up for him to see. Blood rushes south and he can feel himself reacting, getting harder, his cock pressing up against the front of his trousers.

"What do you think I should use this for, hm?"

Hijikata grits his teeth and tries to keep his breathing under careful control. "I t-think you can c-come up with somethin' on y-your own."

Gintoki kisses his way up Hijikata's chest, skips over his neck, and presses his mouth to Hijikata's cheek.

"I think so too," he whispers in such a way it has Hijikata shuddering just before his arms are being forced up above his head and tied to the headboard.

**To Be Continued**


	5. My Inspiration Jar for Titles is Empty Just Read the Damn Chapter and Enjoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sex²

The wrought iron is cold and unforgivable against Hijikata's wrists, as unrelenting as the red tie holding them in place above his head. They're bound around the center knob of the headboard and Gintoki is lacking any sense of subterfuge that he's making a display of Hijikata's body. His bare chest makes him feel exposed, but not vulnerable, not with Gintoki. In the beginning he'd be blushing more than he currently is, but now he's more aroused than anything. Aroused and restrained and at the mercy of a very hungry looking sadistic vampire.

Gintoki has straddled Hijikata's lap and he's admiring his handiwork with a barely there smirk. His shoulders wriggle in what can only be a preen and Hijikata flexes his fingers, testing the hold of the binds – they don't budge. They're not cutting off his circulation, but he can feel his heartbeat in his wrists, which means Gintoki can probably hear it. That... might be why he keeps staring so fixedly at it, his red eyes gleaming. Hijikata doesn't expect it when Gintoki's hips roll and he lets out a loud huff that ends in a tightly contained hiss. Why the _fuck_ are his trousers still on?

“I found something else of interest while I was perusing.”

Hijikata's brows furrow. “You did?”

Gintoki nods and his smirk turns feral. “Want me to show you?” He leans all the way down until his lips brush Hijikata's cheek and both hands slide under the pillow. “I think you'll like it.”

The lightest kiss is pressed to the high crest of Hijikata's cheekbone and Gintoki sits back up with a pair of leather gloves, one in each hand. Hijikata's mouth has gone completely dry and his eyes are bulging out of his head.

“M-my,” he winces, his voice is a croak and his cheeks are aflame, “riding gloves?”

“Barely used.” He lays them one on top of the other between his hands. “About time someone broke them in, hah? But first, I'm going to need you to hold them for me for a bit.”

Before Hijikata can respond, the gloves are shoved into his mouth until he almost gags. Gintoki doesn't wait for him to get used to it, he just starts rolling his hips lazily and doesn't take his eyes off Hijikata. The goddamn bastard isn't even bothering to blink! Hijikata's 'asshole' comes out as _aphoogh_ and he ends up only able to glare. Gintoki's enjoying himself though, both fangs tipping out of his mouth and pressing into his plump – and very kissable – lower lip. They're not breaking skin, but they're pressing down hard enough to make the skin there white instead of his usual soft pink.

“Feels good, doesn't it?” Gintoki's hips move back and forth some more, slowly rutting, never faltering in pace.

Hijikata groans and his back arches, though it does little good because Gintoki doesn't speed up or give him more friction. He wants to reach up and pull Gintoki down for a kiss, but his hands only yank on the holds confining them. It probably looks desperate to Gintoki, but fuck if he cares right now, maybe it'll get him what he wants. He can feel Gintoki cock through his trousers and when he glances down, he can see it, hard and so pale against the darker fabric of his trousers. The leather of the gloves tastes almost a little salty against his tongue and he can't remember what dark hole he'd thrown these things in. It doesn't bother him that Gintoki went through his room, he has nothing to hide, but seriously, where in the hell had he unearthed these fucking gloves?

Gintoki's fingers trace along Hijikata's chest, his eyes following the invisible lines. He outlines Hijikata's pecs and abs, but leaves his nipples alone. Hijikata's collarbones get attention, the whisper of a touch ghosting along his skin and bringing forth a bout of goosebumps that spread the length of his body. A shudder runs down his spine and by the time Gintoki presses his palms flat and _really_ feels the expanse of Hijikata's stomach, his breathing is coming in shorter pants through his nose. The cuts from the night before are still so sensitive, but Gintoki skirts around those. His eyes study them though, he watches, but he doesn't touch and his expression isn't one Hijikata can read anything into.

And it's very obvious the lengths Gintoki's taking to stay away from his neck, he won't even so much as look at it.

“You won't be needing these,” Gintoki says as he begins taking off Hijikata's trousers by popping the button at the hem.

He can move a lot faster than he is, but he's taking his time stripping them off Hijikata and he keeps moving his hips like he doesn't have a care in the world. It's kind of exciting since this is the first time they've been able to have sex in the middle of the day, though, it doesn't feel like daytime, not with the canopy drawn all around the bed. Gintoki doesn't move back, so he can't take the trousers off and Hijikata impatiently bucks his hips up to get him going. The face Gintoki makes gets Hijikata's temper flaring and his blood boiling, but he doesn't do anything more because Gintoki's actually _moving_ , thank god.

After shimmying backward, Gintoki gets to work on the trousers, but even with that he takes his sweet time. Hijikata lifts his hips and he doesn't mean to, but he moans when Gintoki's fingers cups his ass cheeks before pulling the pants down. He slips one leg out, then the other and Hijikata is already hard. So hard that when his dick is freed is slaps against his stomach with a noise that has him flushing up to his ears. It feels so good to be out of those damn pants though and it's terrible, but he has already started to sweat. He blames it on the constant blushing and he'll blame it on the closed canopy too, he'll blame it on anything at this point. Gintoki doesn't perspire, he's always cool – not to be confused with the slang term, this is cool as in: temperature – so it's always a little unsettling that Hijikata's body is a thousand times more receptive to everything.

Gintoki's crouched between his legs and lifts Hijikata's right one to kiss up his inner thigh. It has his skin twitching, he can feel the fangs brushing against him each time Gintoki's mouth touches him. His lips glide up Hijikata's thigh and he licks along the seams of his hip up to the knob of his hip bone. Gintoki can retract his fangs, but not when he's already worked up like this. Blood is about to be shed, he can never retract them just before or anytime after that point, which means blowjobs are a very carefully done affair and Hijikata _will absolutely not_ be getting one right now.

He feels one of Gintoki's teeth slide in, but it's so seamless and clean that it feels good. It's almost like an itch being scratched and his cock leaks precum out onto his lower belly. The fang is really just a nick and Gintoki's tongue laps up every drop of blood. It isn't until Gintoki suckles at Hijikata's hip that, god, he moans around the leather and his body goes taut against the binds. His toes curl and while he tries to keep his head up, it falls back and presses into the iron behind him that's digging into his shoulders.

Gintoki straddles him again and grabs Hijikata by the hair to pull his head up. It has always been a strange habit of Gintoki's to press their foreheads together, but fuck if Hijikata is complaining. He closes his eyes and tries to steady his breathing through his nose, it seems so loud in his ears, so it must be thundering to Gintoki. The hold Gintoki has on him is firm, but gentle, it doesn't even sting, but it's forceful enough to make Hijikata do what he wants. It feels like a possession thing and Hijikata isn't opposed to that, but he does try to get his hands free – even knowing it's a futile effort – because it feels right to want to wrap his arms around the bastard.

“You're going to get cut many times through this,” Gintoki whispers and Hijikata's breath hitches.

He can't think of a single goddamn thing wrong with that.

With a gentle forehead bump, Gintoki lets go of his hair and lowers himself fully into Hijikata's lap, their cocks sliding together. Hijikata shudders and his toes curl even harder at the feel and press of Gintoki's body. He has always been something to behold, he's chiseled, scarred, pale, strong, and the right on his right pointer finger remains steadfast, as always the only thing he never takes off. Hijikata has braved asking about it before, but he was thwarted by... he actually doesn't remember what. It's a little hard to think when Gintoki's sitting in his lap like this.

Twenty-eight.

It still hasn't fully clicked that this man is twenty-eight.

Well, two hundred and thirty-two, but he was twenty-eight when he became immortal? At times he seems far too young, much younger than twenty-eight, but other times, now that Hijikata thinks back, he has looked far older than even two hundred. These are rare moments Hijikata's recalling, times Gintoki let his guard down for a mere second, long enough to catch a glimpse of what's going on underneath. Gintoki has always been an enigma, but someday Hijikata hopes to be able to break through the bramble walls he has surrounded himself with and see who Gintoki was before decades of god knows what turned him into what he is now.

“My, that's a strange face you're making,” Gintoki remarks and it's playful. He runs a hand through his hair, his other down his stomach, and straightens his back, bowing it a little in a slender arch. “Like what you see?”

Hijikata immediately shakes his head and curls his nose until Gintoki laughs softly. Gintoki has a lot of laughs, this one is seductive, though Hijikata isn't so sure Gintoki means it to be. He has loud, boisterous – annoying – laughs and mellifluous low ones that make the hairs on the back of Hijikata's neck rise. Gintoki has also been known to giggle at times, but he fervently denies that and says it's just Hijikata's imagination.

“I think you're lying.” Gintoki reaches down and takes both their dicks in his hand. He pumps slowly and shifts his hips from side to side subtly to add more friction. “You're leaking all over my fingers, your body is a terrible liar.”

Hijikata growls, but it turns into something higher pitched at the end and he refuses to acknowledge that pitiful sound. He's at Gintoki's very mercy and he wants to kick the asshole for the slow pace so he'll maybe speed things up, but... he kind of knows Gintoki's just trying to be careful. Hijikata is strong, both in mind and body, but Gintoki is much stronger. Gintoki can crush things with his bare hands without a second thought that a mortal man could never hope to hold a candle to. Body against body, fingers to flesh, teeth to skin, Gintoki is a _danger_. It... adds to the thrill, Hijikata won't deny, but while he thinks Gintoki an airhead sometimes, the restraint he has is incredible. Gintoki possesses speed Hijikata can't even _see_ , so for him to go slow like this, for them to be together without accidents, that doesn't go unnoticed.

Though, Hijikata hasn't a clue how difficult this is for Gintoki to be able to do... he has never slipped up before, so Hijikata doesn't know what that might look or feel like. Gintoki so in control of his expressions and what he shows off, but what he makes look easy might not be so easy after all. Hijikata doesn't even try to lie to himself about how badly he wants to find these things out, however, preferably not the hard way.

Gintoki rocks his hips and massages their lengths, which are now slick with Hijikata's precum. Gintoki's free hand keeps touching Hijikata's stomach, his abs, around his bellybutton, always touching more. He runs his fingers through Hijikata's happy trail and he's so easily fascinated by the littlest things, almost like a child in some aspects. Hijikata moans loudly around the leather gloves and Gintoki's head perks up at that, his eyes flashing in this weird _flick_ thing they do sometimes. It's erotic, like being examined by a bird of prey with how his head tilts and he watches Hijikata with such intensity his skin breaks out in goosebumps again.

Smirking, Gintoki moves back down between Hijikata's legs and licks up the whole length of Hijikata's dick. He uses the broad flat of his tongue and keeps his fangs back, but he watches Hijikata the whole time. Hijikata's body trembles and he knows that one wrong move could have one of those fangs castrating him or puncturing a tendon running through that area. His blood is pumping through his ears, he can hear his own heartbeat, and he became so much more aware of it since meeting Gintoki who's always listening for it.

“I bet you're still sore from last night,” Gintoki murmurs and sucks two fingers into his mouth.

Hijikata groans, he knows what's coming and he even closes his eyes a moment to get himself to calm down. His cock is so hard, he's so close to cumming already, and he doesn't want to, not yet. His arms ache and he flexes his shoulders, but it doesn't relieve the slight pain of the position and the iron. Gintoki reaches out with his other hand and pushes Hijikata's leg farther out, spreading him wider, and a bead of sweat slides down Hijikata's temple. Gintoki removes his fingers and moves them down, touching Hijikata's sack as he passes it, and without preamble, pushes in not one, but two fingers.

“Look at that,” Gintoki kisses Hijikata's inner thigh, “you're eating them right up.”

Hijikata writhes. It stings, but it feels so fucking good his eyes roll and his head hits the iron a little too hard, not that he cares. He moans loud, he can't stop his voice, and his eyes glass over when he feels the prick of Gintoki's fang on the sensitive flesh so near his groin. He looks down and there's a streak of blood Gintoki easily laps up and it turns his lips a deeper shade of pink. Hijikata's shaking under the different sensations and he has to blink to keep his vision clear so nothing blurs.

“Have I ever told you how much I enjoy kissing you while I'm inside you?” Gintoki's fingers carefully press in farther and his voice has taken on a deeper tone, thicker. “Your mouth gets so greedy and you twitch like crazy.”

Hijikata glares, but he knows it's lacking the heat he can usually muster. His legs jerk and he wants to wrap them around Gintoki, but he's too far down on his body – that's probably intentional, the bastard. Nails skim along his outer thigh and he trembles. Gintoki's nails are typically longer and slightly more sharpened than a normal man's. Hijikata's fairly certain Gintoki takes special care with them before he arrives for they seems somewhat more blunt than they should be. Hijikata can say he's grateful, having sharp nails gouging out his insides isn't anywhere on his to do list. He has a definite affinity for pain, but that... might be overdoing it.

“Ahngg –”

“Like that?” Gintoki's fingers curl upward again, teasing just around Hijikata's prostate. “You're shaking like a leaf.”

“Mmph....”

“That sounded like a yes to me.”

Hijikata's eyes roll back once more as Gintoki's fingers press closer and closer to his sensitive spot. He knows _exactly_ what he's doing and it's driving Hijikata mad, he can't even think straight. He can only tremble and moan, barely able to writhe because Gintoki will press his fangs into him without cutting him as a warning to keep him still. Sweat makes Hijikata's bangs stick to his brow and his toes curl so hard that his calves cramp, not that there's anything he can do about it. His breaths are ragged around the gloves and his cock is so hard it's aching. The heated coil of his orgasm has begun to wind up in his gut and Gintoki's still just playing with him, toying with his body and bringing him to the edge much too soon.

Suddenly, Gintoki's fingers pull out and Hijikata slumps against the bed, he hadn't known his back had been bowing so hard. Gintoki raises himself until he's looming over Hijikata and pulls the gloves from his mouth. Hijikata takes in several heady breaths, his head light and swimming from not enough oxygen. His legs are still shaking, there's more cuts there, he can feel them, though he doesn't recall Gintoki putting them there. He slits his eyes open and watches Gintoki put the gloves on one by one, first the right, then the left. They fit him snugly and stand out against his pale skin, but... they suit him, strangely enough. The rise of the ring beneath the leather is the only place the gloves don't stick to Gintoki like a second skin and Hijikata's dick _throbs_.

“Sorry,” Gintoki purrs, grabbing Hijikata's chin and running a thumb along his lower lip, “you won't be getting a full prep this time.”

“B-bastard.”

His hands yank at the ties, wanting to sink his fingers into that bright permy hair and pull him down for a kiss, but the binds don't give way, they only cinch tighter. Hijikata raises his legs and slides them along Gintoki's hips, trying to draw him closer in any way he can. This is the strangest, most dangerous addiction he has ever had and it's not something he wants to give up.

“Something you want?” Gintoki asks as if the fucker doesn't already know and his hand cups Hijikata's cheek, thumb still on his lip. “You're going to have to say it.”

Glaring, teeth gritting, Hijikata tries to use his legs to pull Gintoki down, but he doesn't move even a centimeter. In fact, it's almost like he doesn't feel Hijikata's legs at all.

Flushing anew, Hijikata huffs and mutters in his frustration, “K-kiss.”

Gintoki's smirk turns into a smile as he leans down, replying, “I must keep my human happy,” before giving Hijikata the exact kind of kiss he wants.

**To Be Continued**

 


	6. Thinking of You is Working Up My Appetite Looking Forward to a Little Afternoon Delight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More sex

 Hijikata has been through a lot in his life, he has seen many of things and he's definitely not where he thought he'd be. He thinks about this fairly often and like right now when he's tied up, naked, bleeding, and enjoying every moment of it, the thought does cross his mind that maybe something went seriously wrong with him somewhere along the way. He's entirely fucked up – even without having a vampire lover, he's fucked up, now add a vampire lover and Hijikata doesn't have a clue what he is other than some degree of _really fucked up_.

“You're a little loud for someone that's supposed to be taking a nap.”

Hijikata glares. “I-if you quit t-teasing me I – ngg w-wouldn't nnff be s-so loud.”

“Are you sure?”

Hijikata's trembling, his toes are curling, and blood is welling up on a fresh cut along his ribs. Gintoki laps it up and then licks his lips that are an almost human shade of pink. All Gintoki has been doing for a long while is run his gloved hands over Hijikata's body and kiss different parts of him. The kisses don't always result in a cut and the anticipation of not knowing which ones will and which ones won't, it's maddening. Hijikata's crazed over it and there will be bruises on his wrists along with chafe marks by the time they're through.

He's still so sore from the night before and that Gintoki is dragging this out so deliciously is excruciating. It's definitely hard for Hijikata to keep his voice down and a thin layer of sweat has covered his whole body from top to bottom. His breaths sound loud and he knows he's way too relaxed for someone in his position, but the trust he has for Gintoki is both inexplicable and engrained deep into the marrow of his bones. His attraction to Gintoki is so unlike anything he has ever felt before and he has so little control over it. He wants to write it off and say the attraction is only there because of some weird vampire charm Gintoki has, but... Hijikata knows it's not that simple.

“Hngg – f-fuck,” Hijikata hisses and shakes against Gintoki's mouth.

“Shh,” Gintoki murmurs and soothes the new cut just above Hijikata's bellybutton with a warm lick, “you're doing so good.”

Hijikata bites his lip and relaxes again, but a shudder ripples through him as the leather covering Gintoki's hands grabs his hips to keep him still. The leather feels warm against his skin and he likes the touch of them, the slide of the material over his flesh. He has a whole new appreciation for them and they surely won't be disappearing into the depths of his room anytime soon.

Gintoki kisses his way up Hijikata's chest and a hand leaves his hip, it's only a moment later that he feels Gintoki's cock against his ass. He moans in the back of his throat, he's honestly trying to keep his voice down, but it's so fucking hard to do when Gintoki starts pushing in. The movement is so _slow_ and pain lances up Hijikata's lower back, but he grits his teeth and endures it. His eyes water, the lack of proper lube and very little prep makes the initial pain more severe than usual. His hands really pull at the red ties, but they don't budge and only make his wrists burn. Gintoki slides all the way in and it's kind of amazing that someone like Gintoki who typically moves and does things so fast never fails to slow down and take his time on Hijikata.

For the record, he's going a little _too_ slow right now, but it's not like Hijikata can string together the words to say so. His mind is completely blown and when he manages to crack his eyes open, his heart slams to a faster beat inside his chest. There staring back at him, burning in Gintoki's eyes, is that bright red ember. Just like before it's caught within Gintoki's irises and pulses, Hijkata _swears_ it pulses like the heartbeat Gintoki doesn't have. It highlights such a feral edge to Gintoki's face, like that one burning pulse turns Gintoki into a whole different person. Hijikata's breath catches in his throat – he knows he's in danger, every one of his senses is telling him to run. His hands pull at the restraints and Gintoki's teeth gleam menacingly where they're hanging over his bottom lip. In the dark the canopy provides, Gintoki's eyes seem to have an animalistic glow, it's the look of a hunter and Hijikata knows he's the prey.

It should be alarming how hard Hijikata's cock throbs being under such a gaze.

Gintoki looms over him and shifts his hips minutely from side to side. “Tell me it feels good.”

Hijikata's on such a high, he's defenseless and strung out, so much so that he's down to his most basic facilities. Finding words and getting them out of his mouth, that takes more concentration than he really has to give. Gintoki's close, but not close enough, and the burn is ebbing to profound pleasure despite how much he aches.

“Feels mm g-good.”

For the briefest of seconds, Gintoki almost looks stunned. Maybe because Hijikata doesn't usually give in like this and tell him how it really feels, but whatever the case, Gintoki smirks and leans forward enough to slide their mouths together. It's these deceptively light kisses that make Hijikata shudder even harder than when he's getting nicked. He moans into Gintoki's mouth and asks with his body to be kissed more, better, deeper. Gintoki answers him, thank god, and gives him what he wants, something he doesn't always do right away. One of Gintoki's hands comes up to brush Hijikata's bangs back, then cup his cheek for a couple seconds – Hijikata can smell the leather – before sliding down to touch his neck.

Hijikata gets so intoxicated by the kissing that a loud moan gets pulled out of him when Gintoki's hips tilt forward. Gintoki doesn't stop kissing him, so Hijikata is helpless except to groan his noises so they can get swallowed by Gintoki's mouth. He feels teeth scrape and cut his sensitive skin and the taste of his own blood is thick on his tongue, he doesn't even know when that became more of a turn on than not. Gintoki's hips start really moving, but they keep a slow, steady pace that's absolutely maddening.

It feels good.

It feels _good_.

That's all that keeps going through Hijikata's head and he's sure that Gintoki's doesn't need any kind of mind reading ability to be able to pick up on that.

“U-untie me nng p-please – ahn – lemme t-touch you.”

Gintoki reaches up and breaks the restraint with one hand, no questions, no teasing. The fabric snaps and Hijikata's hands go right down to grab Gintoki's face to keep his mouth where Hijikata wants it. Gintoki's keeping his thrusts slow and deep, Hijikata's whole body is buzzing pleasantly. Blood smears onto Gintoki's chest from where they're touching and sliding together one fluid motion at a time. He holds onto Gintoki's body with every part of himself and though there isn't much strength left in his legs, he still hooks them tight around Gintoki's hips.

He knows he's not far from cumming, he has felt just on the verge since before he asked for the restraint to be taken off. Each time Gintoki thrusts in there's a wet slap of skin and Hijikata's nail dig in a little harder. He's allowed to grab on as hard as he wants, he's not going to hurt Gintoki, so he doesn't hesitate to rake his nails however he pleases. There's a part of him that's still self-conscious about how much he sweats in comparison to Gintoki, but it's hard to give a shit when he's being taken such good care of. Arms cage his head in and leather covered fingers pull at his hair, but Gintoki doesn't speed up even a little bit. Hijikata's dick is trapped between them and the friction of their skin and his happy trail, it has his eyes rolling and toes curling harder. Leather touches his neck and applies just the slightest bit of pressure....

“L-l – mmph I-I'm... fuck, _ohh_ I –”

He can't even tell Gintoki he's going to cum, his orgasm chokes him up and wells from deep within his stomach. He closes his eyes tight and hates that he whimpers upon his release, but he has lost what tiny amount of control he ever had. Gintoki shudders above him, but that feels so distant, everything seems so far away. He's full of static, he's completely empty, drained, and when he collapses, he's heaving.

A hand wraps around his spent cock and Hijikata groans, mustering enough energy to shake his head. “N-no – I can't, p-pl –”

Gintoki kisses him and he can only groan once more. He pushes weakly at Gintoki's shoulders, but just as quickly he's wrapping his arms around Gintoki's strong neck. There's just two firm strokes of his dick, but the skin is so sensitive that it makes the entirety of his body quake. He doesn't have a drop of cum left and so much of him is still trembling just from all the cuts and attention. He feels great, but in an achy, pained pleasure kind of way. He tenses as Gintoki pulls out, but relaxes right after once he's given a couple light kisses as Gintoki leans back.

Hijikata opens his eyes and Gintoki's there, then gone, then he's back again with a damp rag in his hand. Hijikata can't protest as he's cleaned up, he doesn't have the aptitude to make any sort of protest. Each one of his cuts gets special attention and Gintoki doesn't shy from licking up the blood before wiping it with the cloth. It's getting easier to breathe and fatigue replaces every charge he'd had prior during his orgasm. He's sapped of everything and not getting much sleep the night before definitely contributes to that.

“I think I actually do want that nap.”

Gintoki finishes cleaning up and lays at Hijikata's side. “You look half-asleep already.”

The rag gets put on a silver tray on the nightstand and then those fingers, which Hijikata now notices are lacking gloves, push his bangs back. His hair and forehead is still damp with sweat, but Gintoki doesn't hesitate or seem to mind. Gintoki actually looks really satisfied, but not in a smug kind of way. He has settled down in the crook of Hijikata's arm and that's... different, he usually doesn't do stuff like this. Swallowing, Hijikata tries tightening his arm just a _little_ and Gintoki isn't bothered by that, either.

Even as tired as he is, Hijikata remembers a detail he'd put off mentioning and so says, “I have somethin' I wanna ask you.”

Gintoki sighs. “You're full of questions lately.”

“Yesterday,” Hijikata goes on, ignoring him, “you were goin' to ask me somethin', but you didn't.”

“I did so ask you something. I asked how you've been.”

“Yeah, but you had somethin' else in mind before you asked that.”

The way Gintoki watches him, it's very calculated, it's the assessment as he weighs his options before deciding how to proceed. Hijikata has seen this look several times and never, not once, has he been able to predict what Gintoki's going to do. How Gintoki can fill his face with emotion or make it completely detached is beyond Hijikata's capabilities to decipher or understand.

“That's not wrong.”

Hijikata swallows and turns slightly to touch his fingertips to Gintoki's collarbone. “So... what were you gonna ask?”

“Hmm... try again after your nap.”

“Oh, c'mon,” his fingers lightly follow the bone along smooth skin, he's hoping it'll make answering more enticing, “don't gimme any of your cryptic bullshit right now.”

“I am not being cryptic, try again later.”

“You're very cruel.”

Gintoki kisses him. “And shrewd, too.”

There's not much else Hijikata can do right now, he knows when Gintoki's mind is made up and that he hadn't completely deflected is a good sign. Usually Gintoki is all about distracting Hijikata and making him forget something before he can think too much about it. He has to remember to ask again after his nap, he really wants to know what this strong, sexy, confident vampire actually _hesitated_ to ask him.

“Don't lemme sleep too long.”

He gets a hum for an answer, but he can't really care when nimble fingers brush his bangs back again. His eyes have closed and such a simple, soothing gesture of someone petting his hair is lulling. His body really aches and he'll be even more sore when he wakes, but, as always, it's worth it.

**To Be Continued**


	7. Mistakes Happen by Situation, Not by Intention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DUN-DUN-DUNNNNNN

 Hijikata wakes with a bit of a jolt that's immediately followed by a wince and a cuss. He still aches, worse than before in a lot of ways, but he still finds it to be a good ache, however bracing at first. He's noticing more and more that that's a trend – the aching and his strange proclivity for it. He sucks in a deep breath and the body next to him moves, though, stays pressed against his side. His eyes are harder to open than he'd like for them to be, but he manages and accompanies the action with a broad yawn.

“You haven't been like that the whole time, have you?”

Gintoki has his head propped up against his hand and he's looking down at Hijikata. “Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

“Your face gets so relaxed when you sleep.”

“Shut up.” He stretches and starts to work some of the kinks out. “How long was I out?”

A creamy shoulder rises slightly in a small shrug. “A couple hours.”

“Goddamn it!” He scrambles from the bed. “I told you not to let me sleep too long!”

“That wasn't long at all,” Gintoki assures. “No one came looking for you.”

“Kondo wouldn't do that, he wants me to rest more!”

“For good reason, you look exhausted when you've had a vampire keeping you up most of the night.”

Hijikata rolls his eyes, then shoves a pillow in Gintoki's face and doesn't comment, except to say, “I'll be back.”

Like earlier, Hijikata gathers his things before heading out to the bathroom, but he makes sure not to look back at Gintoki lest he distract himself. He needs to freshen up, he feels groggy, his limbs are made of lead, and his head is still clouded despite the rude awakening about how long he slept. He'd put some clothes on to cover his cuts and he wants to take a closer look at them in the mirror. Some of them feel deep enough to need special attention and while he doesn't mind that, he can't be bleeding through his clothes. He doesn't even want to imagine what Kondo would do if he ever saw the small wounds, mainly because his first conclusion probably _wouldn't_ be that Hijikata has started a sordid affair with a permy haired vampire.

He gets to the bathroom and uncovers himself only to wince and sigh. The cuts aren't as bad as they could be, he thinks Gintoki's saliva has some kind of healing agent or something, but they're all still red and angry looking. There's one near his hip that even looks like it wants to start bleeding again and he can't have that. He tends to each cut with care and puts little bandages around the ones that look too sore to last without cracking back open. He doesn't think any of them could actually bleed enough to make it through his shirt or slacks, but he will be taking no chances with this. For all he knows, Sougo could startle him and the jerking motion of flinching could make a cut rip open and be bigger than before.

Despite the variety of cuts, it doesn't take too long to get himself patched up to the point where he can change into the clothes he brought in with him. It's just his slacks and his undershirt, he wants to put on the rest of his clothes in his room so he can keep an eye on Gintoki. He doesn't think Gintoki will be staying much longer, he has already stayed longer than he ever has and Hijikata thinks it has maybe been pushing him. But what does Hijikata know? He can only speculate and assume and Gintoki gives away so little that Hijikata's conjectures are probably way off.

Hijikata returns to his room with a sigh that fades out the moment he sees Gintoki getting out of bed with a sheet around his waist. The sun is still high and bright outside, but none of it is shining directly into his room and Gintoki seems fairly at ease so long as it's contained beyond the walls of the manor.

“How's your body holding up?” Gintoki asks.

“Just fine.”

Gintoki sits down at the vanity with a nod and starts messing with his hair while he tilts his head to look at himself from different angles. He even squints and brushes his thumb against his chin as he makes faces at himself. Hijikata slowly does the buttons of his vest after putting it on and his eyes roam over the expanse of Gintoki's back and the folds of the sheet loosely wrapped around his waist. It's such a simple look, casual, and Hijikata finds that kind of attractive – he can't seem to take his eyes off of him. Gintoki just looks so comfortable in Hijikata's room, wearing the sheet off his bed, mostly naked and baring his back, that's so... that's something Hijikata really wants to see more of.

“I thought you couldn't see yourself.”

“I can't, but it's fun to pretend sometimes.”

Hijikata bites his lip, then figures he has nothing to lose and goes with his gut, asking, “Do you miss being human?”

“Sometimes,” Gintoki replies airily.

The admission comes with a touch of surprise that perks Hijikata's interest. It has always been insinuated that Gintoki was human once, but never has he openly said as much. Gintoki usually says and does things in a way that leaves Hijikata to make his own conclusions, to acknowledge something as concrete as this... that's huge. Hijikata's fingers have frozen where they touch on his clothes and a boldness creeps upon him, mixing with and taking hold of his constant desire to know more.

“I haven't forgotten what we talked about before I fell asleep,” he says, finishing with his vest so as to free his hands for other purposes.

He walks up behind Gintoki and touches the curve of his spine, right in the little valley, and the skin is, as expected, cool beneath his fingers. He puts his other hand on Gintoki's shoulder and he doesn't know what comes over him, he just wants to touch. Gintoki watches Hijikata's reflection in the mirror and it never fails to be empowering when Gintoki stills for him. He can't pass up the opportunity, so he brings his other hand up and runs them along Gintoki's shoulders. The seat he's sitting in is pretty high and it puts the top of Gintoki's head right around Hijikata's chin. It's weird seeing only his own reflection and not Gintoki's, especially because his hands are just floating in thin air, but no, he's actually touching Gintoki, he _knows_ it.

It does make him feel a little ridiculous, so he keeps his eyes on Gintoki instead. He slides his hands down to feel Gintoki's biceps and even though Gintoki isn't moving at all, not even breathing, just watching, Hijikata can feel the strong outline of muscles. He knows they're there, he has felt them many times, but like this, he's hyper-conscious of the power Gintoki possesses. Gintoki doesn't need to flex or make any show of strength, he's strong all on his own and they're both aware. Hijikata has always been well acquainted with this, for if he loses any awareness of it, that could prove fatal.

But Gintoki needs to know that Hijikata is someone to contend with, someone worthy of his pride, and especially someone worth _keeping_.

Grabbing onto Gintoki's hair, he pulls his head to the side and Hijikata fits his face in the crook of Gintoki's neck. He's pushing his luck a little, but he's so into the mood right now that he can't bring himself to stop or slow. He breathes a moment, his lips brushing smooth, smooth skin that acts as a coolant to his own warmth. Opening his mouth, he pauses only a second before latching onto Gintoki's neck and sinking his teeth in. Gintoki doesn't respond, he doesn't push Hijikata away, doesn't recoil, but also doesn't encourage. Hijikata wants to see the look on his face and wants to try and read into it, but he can't let go just yet.

He gradually bites down harder and harder until the skin is pinched and firm between his teeth. He's biting hard enough to make his jaw ache, but the skin doesn't break and doesn't feel like it can be punctured. His stomach churns and he lets out a shuddering breath for all the precious few times Gintoki has touched and kissed and nibbled at his neck. He wonders how bad Gintoki wants to sink his teeth in, how much he wants to pierce Hijikata's veins with his needle-like fangs and really _take_ from him instead of settling for lapping at tiny cuts. Is Gintoki's neck as sensitive as his own? Does he feel as much as Hijikata or does he maybe feel more?

What does Gintoki feel for what they have?

He lets go when it feels like his teeth are going to break and he realizes that he's not just holding Gintoki's hair anymore, he's gripping onto it so tight his fingers are trembling. It would hurt a person, but Gintoki doesn't seem to mind it and hasn't pulled away or tried to dislodge him. Hijikata's breaths are short, quick little puffs and he keeps his mouth right next to Gintoki's neck so he can feel each one of them. He's probably pushing it, he doesn't know what the hell he's doing or where this urge came from, but he's invested in whatever this is. He loosens his hold on Gintoki's hair, but keeps his eyes closed and his face fitted against Gintoki's corded neck.

“T-tell me what it's like.”

“I can hear you breathing,” Gintoki replies, his voice level and smooth – there's a word for it: velvety.

“Moron, I can hear myself breathing, too.”

“Not like this.”

“Because I h-have a heartbeat?”

“It's more than that.” Both of them have kept their tones low, like whispers, traded secrets. “It's not just the sound. I can hear your blood flowing through your heart and I can follow its course along your veins to your lungs, down to your toes, your fingertips, every part of you. I can hear the brush of your hair against your forehead and neck,” his voice doesn't change and remains steady, “and my personal favorite, your ears. I can hear the sound of your skin on mine and more than anything right now, other than the furious beating of your heart, I can see how much you want in every line of your body.”

Hijikata forgets to breathe and, out of habit, looks up at the mirror expecting to see Gintoki's reflection, but of course he only sees his own. Even _he_ can see his own desperation, so he can only imagine how much Gintoki must see. Swallowing thickly, he takes half a step to the side and turns his head to get a look at Gintoki's face. His head is still tilted thanks to Hijikata's relentless hold and the first thing he sees is a pair of red eyes focused on him.

Suddenly, in just a mere blink, the red hot embers Hijikata has only seen on the rarest of occasions come to life in Gintoki's eyes. They gleam in the confines of his irises and the tips of both fangs elongate enough to brush his bottom lip. Logically, it's the moment Hijikata knows he's in the most danger and his fight or flight instincts are telling him to _run_. The hairs on the back of his neck rise and his body goes still and taut, there's also a thrush of warmth that has cold sweat breaking out on his palms and forehead.

“It's getting harder,” Gintoki whispers.

It's a needless warning, Hijikata can _see_ Gintoki's struggle just fine and any wiser man would already be sprinting away. Fear is built into everyone's genetic makeup, there's a need to self-preserve and survive, but for Hijikata, which he has these needs like every person, he also has something counteracting it. At least, that's the way it feels. It's the only way he can explain why he lets himself be pushed backward by a hand on his chest to the bed and why he remains still after he falls on his back as Gintoki crawls on top of him and straddles his waist. To anyone else Gintoki might look poised to attack, but to Hijikata he looks like he's fighting against an immeasurable force.

An inhuman growl sounds in Gintoki's throat, the noise low and coming from deep within his chest. In a time when Hijikata should be wholly terrified, he's also entranced and, remarkably, some level of aroused beneath all the fear. Gintoki's poised and feral, his hands and weight keeping Hijikata completely immobile. The sheet pools around Gintoki's waist, but Hijikata can't look away from those furiously red embers. There's a fire in him, Hijikata can see it and feel it, his very soul knows it.

Hijikata doesn't need to think about what he wants in this moment, he knows it down to his marrow. His hips shift subtly under Gintoki and he tilts his head to the side, baring that soft part of his neck. He keeps his eyes on Gintoki and the fear leaves him, just seeps right out of him, and he can only guess it's because he knows this is what he wants.

What it'll be like, he hasn't a clue, but he wants it. He wants Gintoki, he'll take and deal with whatever that entails. Kondo and Sougo, his friends, they still mean a lot to him, but this is somehow _bigger_ , a force _beyond_ Hijikata that he needs to never let go of. There are men who crave everlasting life, but Hijikata doesn't give a shit about it, his eyes are only on Gintoki.

“D-do it,” Hijikata urges, his voice faint and shaking.

Gintoki lunges.

**To Be Continued**


	8. Mistakes Happen to the Best and Worst of Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “D-do it,” Hijikata urges, his voice faint and shaking. Gintoki lunges. Pain shoots through Hijikata's body....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Silvia, you beautiful bitch, this one is for you. I want to thank you for so, so, so many things oh my christ. I don't even know where to begin. Your words of wisdom have helped get me through some dark times. You're a great person and I'm going to keep you close for as long as you'll have me //touchface

 Pain shoots through Hijikata's body, but it's not like any pain he has experienced before with Gintoki. It's sharper, it feels like he's being burned, and it hurts so much that he can't move. Most people, when burned, shove it away or snatch their hand back from the hot stove, but Hijikata's whole body is filled with rocks. He's so stunned by the agonizing feel of it that not even his fingers can tremble and surely not a word can escape his mouth, not even a strangled sigh can find a way out.

Among that stark pain, there's also something else. It's a dark, but it's something that has been a part of Hijikata since the beginning. It's the thing that had drawn him to Gintoki right away, that had allowed this whole thing to start and to continue. The pain suddenly feels good, it's something Hijikata craves, and were he able to lean into it, he would. He wants to arch his back, grab onto Gintoki, turn his head farther, encourage more with his mouth and body, but he's frozen.

And all this has transpired in the span of seconds, the merest slice of existence that won't allow even two regular breaths before passing. The passage of time is a strange occurrence and can't always be given proper measured, especially in situations such as this.

In however short a time had just passed, there's a guttural gasp, a growl, and the pain stops. It just... stops. Inexplicably, the stinging, the weight, the lack of muscle response, it all stops like a spell has been lifted. Hijikata finds himself void of Gintoki's body and he's freezing, shaking, his hands trembling so hard it shudders through the entirety of his being. Gintoki's across the room in a dark corner, his eyes glinting and teeth still bared.

“Get out,” Gintoki says so softly Hijikata almost doesn't catch it.

“B-but –”

“Get out.”

It's a demand that time, Gintoki's fangs on full display and it's the first time Hijikata has ever seen him so angry. Even his eyes are cold with anger, the bright red coals within them stoked so they're fiery and the lightness of them spreads through Gintoki's irises like broken fractals. He's truly remarkable, Hijikata's breath is so stolen from him that he's anchored to his place in awe of this spectacle. He has slept with Gintoki and spent time with him, but never has Hijikata seen anything like this.

He's not afraid, but there is a part of him that's terrified, that _knows_ to be terrified in the face of this. Gintoki's fangs glint and his shoulder jerks in a motion that's as odd as it is smooth. It's the movement of someone staving off a reflex as one might bite their tongue instead of letting a harsh remark escape. Gintoki hasn't moved from his spot, but he wants to, Hijikata can tell he wants to. Either that, or Hijikata secretly wants him to want to.

Gintoki's eyes alight brighter to a red so breathtaking it breaks through his eyes like molten lava tearing its way through dark rock.

“Get out!”

The bellow isn't full force, but it's enough to break the weight holding Hijikata down. He grabs the closest thing to him, Gintoki's cloak, and wraps it around himself as he bolts. He can't think about looking for anyone to make sure the hall is clear or wondering if someone has heard the noise, all his instincts are too busy screaming at him to _go, get away, now, now, get out, now, run, flee, now, escape._ The urgency of it seizes him and takes him over, it's all he can think and feel. That part of him that knows to be terrified has taken control and he slams himself shut in the bathroom.

He's breathing so hard it's like he's not breathing at all and he knows right away that he fucked up. He shouldn't have pushed Gintoki like that. There must be a reason Gintoki doesn't talk about biting or biting him, he should have waited to hear what that reason is instead of taking it upon himself to goad and push at Gintoki's limitations to see what will happen. They should have talked this out first, Gintoki should have offered more information about his situation, Hijikata should have tried harder to understand boundaries.

To calm himself, Hijikata takes a few deep breaths and thinks back to better times. He's sitting on the bathroom floor, his back to a wall, and Gintoki's cloak is half-wrapped around him – he's holding it so tight his knuckles match the bloodless pallor of his face. His life has changed so much because of Gintoki and he can't deny that most of it has been for the better. When he gets angry, which happens a lot considering his short temper, he just has to think back to their time together and that makes things better. It doesn't fix things, but it relaxes him enough to think more clearly and get a grip on his temper or find his patience since it likes to run away from him.

He's really fucking distressed right now though, so it's a little hard to concentrate on anything, much less good thoughts about them – if there's really even a _them_. He knows he fucked up in encouraging Gintoki and goading him on, they should have talked more about the whole biting thing first, he knows that for sure. Maybe he did it because he knows how adverse to even the mention of that topic Gintoki consistently is, but that's no excuse for Hijikata's behavior, especially when it has led to this.

Closing his eyes tight, Hijikata thinks about a time he'd been reading in his room at his desk. His balcony had been open like it always is for Gintoki, but he hadn't heard him enter – he never does. Hijikata had thought he was alone until two hands had braced on either side of him on the desk and Gintoki had done something that had seemed so strange at the time. He'd leaned his forehead against the back of Hijikata's head and stayed like that for awhile. He hadn't moved and Hijikata hadn't either, he just remained still and neither spoke.

At first, Hijikata's heart had slammed into his chest and beat so fast it felt like it was going to try to jump out. Not long after, however, he was so calm and his heartbeat so steady, it was one of the first true slices of peace in his life. His eyes had closed as they are now and he suddenly didn't care about anything outside of just the two of them. That's what Gintoki can do and Hijikata doesn't know – like so many things – if that's a vampire thing or if that's just Hijikata's reaction to the person Gintoki is.

His breathing is coming easier now, but he stays on the floor and keeps focusing on himself. It doesn't help that this is the only part of his life he isn't sure about and he's obviously in a relationship with someone that's already dead... right away, that doesn't sound like it'll have a good outcome. The word vampire isn't even used as much as several decades prior, well before Hijikata was born. Vampires are a thing of the past, not the present, and Hijikata had been convinced they'd never existed until he had one for himself.

A real shocker that meeting had been.

That thought process isn't bringing him the right kind of comfort, so he turns his thoughts back to less complicated Gintoki things. He tries a different approach this time and just imagines some of the things he likes about Gintoki. Like how cool his skin is, how he feels both light and heavy at once, how his fingers feel when they're gently pressing into Hijikata's skin – but then the unwanted thought intrudes that he might never get these things again and his heart skips a beat.

This is so frustrating and this isn't at all how things should have gone. He has no clue what'll happen to him if Gintoki bites him, but obviously _something_ major happens since Gintoki refuses both the topic and the physical act. From what Hijikata has read, the most logical assumption is that if Gintoki bites him, he'll turn into a vampire too. When they first met Hijikata would have found that fate cruel and would have wanted nothing to do with it. Now, though, things are entirely different. He has Gintoki now and the idea of being a vampire, of spending the rest of his eternal life with Gintoki, that doesn't seem too bad. Eternal life is too huge for Hijikata to honestly fathom and there's still a lot of conflict over the concept, but he's not _against_ it.

Likewise, Gintoki seems wholly against it. So against it that he won't talk about it and won't do it when he's presented with both consent and plenty of perfect opportunities. That's extremely disheartening for Hijikata and he knows that his problem is that he doesn't actually _know_ what he wants. He likes Gintoki, likes him a lot, and when he gets caught up in their passion, he's willing to go along with almost anything. It's like he has no self-restraint when he's with Gintoki, but that's another matter. The matter he's trying to contend with right now is his feelings for Gintoki, which are a mixed bag of fucked up and indefinable.

No, actually, he doesn't want to try and mess with this... _mess_ right now.

Pushing it from his mind, he puts a hand on his chest and takes a few more deep breaths hoping that they'll help. He feels close to a panic attack and he can't say he has ever really had a true one before. His head just feels light right now and there's a dizziness that accompanies the sound of Gintoki yelling at him to get out.

Get out.

 _Get out_.

Hijikata drives the words away by thinking about the first time Gintoki's fingers had stroked through his hair. Stroked isn't even the wrong word for it, there's no other word that so perfectly emulates what that had felt like. He'd walked into his room thinking himself alone, but then there had been something so soft gliding through the hair at the back of his neck. All around him, it seemed, there was a whisper of his name, so faint Hijikata could have dreamed it. He'd turned around, but by then there was nothing behind him and he'd chalked it up to a draft. However, when he turned back the other way, Gintoki was standing in front of him looking far too amused.

Gintoki likes to play little games like that and he never seems to tire of them. He likes to move things Hijikata has placed somewhere and hide them for Hijikata to find. It's childish in its own way, but it was the kind of childish that was so innocent it made Hijikata really question Gintoki's age, especially now that he knows how old the vampire is. It's hard to picture the many things Gintoki must have seen in his lifetime, but he wants to know it all and hear everything Gintoki has to tell him. He must be a wealth of knowledge, there's so many things Hijikata can learn from him that not even books of the era would know or touch base on.

What if he never gets his chance to ask now?

The thought of books makes Hijikata think back to the library downstairs. There's a lot to be gained from the library, like the smell of all the old tomes and how the room really heats up when the fireplace is lit. He's the one that worries enough about stray embers that he talked Kondo into getting a metal grate specifically to keep any errant wafting fire children in the confines of their wooden lair. A library is a perfect place to catch aflame and it would be a tragedy to lose all that knowledge.

Fire makes him think of the look in Gintoki's eyes and a savage _get out_ rings through his head.

Taking a few more deep breaths, Hijikata thinks about the monotony in the spaces between Gintoki's visits. About how paperwork never fails to pile up and about how his fingers and wrists cramp when he does too much of it. He thinks about the ritual of getting up in the morning just to work and get to bed that night. It's a constant up and down, distraction and routine, hoping and wondering. He can't explain their relationship, if it can even be called that, just as he can't put words to how much he wants whatever is there despite how irrational it is.

Calmer now, Hijikata finds comfort in that the sun is still out, so Gintoki must still be in the room. He can't leave in the sunlight and if Hijikata can get a grip on himself soon enough, they'll have time to maybe talk before anyone wonders after him. He hasn't heard any noises or anyone calling for him, so luck is at least on his side enough to omit any unwanted inquiries over strange noises or raised voices.

A breath shudders out of him and he stands, his fingers clinging to the cloak in his grip. He stares at it and after a time brings it to his face to take a deep breath. It smells very strongly of Gintoki, like he just took it off rather than it has just been cast aside in Hijikata's room all day. He takes several long moments just standing there breathing, a steady in and out, a rhythm, a repetition.

One glance up into the mirror tells him that he's in bad shape, he's much too pale and Kondo will be all over that. Upturning the cloak around his shoulders, Hijikata goes to the water basin and gets enough water out to splash his face. He then looks back up and studies his neck, but there's no puncture wounds, just two tiny little slices that look to be no more than paper cuts. It must be where Gintoki had frozen, where time had stopped, where Gintoki had had the means to bite down, but stopped himself right on that thin razor edge.

Wiping away the extremely minute blood still lingering, Hijikata dries his face with a towel and inspects any other cuts he might have. There's no evidence of the tiny cuts on his neck now, they blend in with his skin just fine, but he knows that were he to put any alcohol on them, they'd sting enough to make him cuss. He wonders where the pain had come from and why it had been so vivid in those scant moments. Perhaps it doesn't matter, it could just even be his imagination because of the wildness and abandon of the whole thing, it's hard for him to say.

Cloak still wrapped around himself, Hijikata takes some more time to carefully inspect himself before looking at the door. He's not ready to face what's in that room, but he also can't wait until night falls, Gintoki will be gone the second the sun is, he _knows_ he'll be gone. Peeking outside of the bathroom, Hijikata checks to make sure the coast is clear, then heads out and sets his sights on his closed bedroom door, his heart taking up a feverish pounding in his chest that Gintoki can likely already hear.

**To Be Continued**


	9. Don't Just Invite Anyone Come Inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vampire Gintoki is a pain in Hijikata’s ass and something unexpected catches them both by surprise.

Hijikata cautiously opens his bedroom door and peeks inside only to freeze when he sees Gintoki in the exact same spot he'd been in before. He's standing motionless in the corner, his eyes are closed, his body is in a rigid line, and his head is tipped slightly down. There's little doubt that Gintoki knows he's there, so Hijikata pushes his way into the room the rest of the way and closes the door behind him. He stands there awhile, thinking, then walks over to the bed so he can sit.

“Are you... feeling better?”

Gintoki scoffs, “Shouldn't I be asking you that?”

“Maybe.”

Gintoki's voice is back to normal and when he opens his eyes, those are normal as well. They still glint, but they're not doing that fiery red cracked molten thing they'd had going on before. He doesn't ask that Gintoki come closer, he understands why there's distance between them right now – at least, he mostly understands – but he still can't help but feel like the gap between them is a lot larger than it looks. Whatever had happened earlier seems to have isolated Gintoki to the point that he feels entirely out of Hijikata's reach now.

He can't have that.

“I need to get to my desk, if you have to move, do so.”

Hijikata gets up and he's surprised that Gintoki doesn't move, but then he wonders if Gintoki really has anywhere else to go since he's in the corner. At his desk, he pulls out a piece of blank paper and writes a little note on it. It's simply saying that he tried to sleep and couldn't, then says he's feeling under the weather and is going to be taking the rest of the evening off. He slips that underneath the door and he knows Kondo will be appeased by it. The only issue that might arise is if food gets sent up for him, but if that happens then he'll just pretend to be asleep until they go away. He returns to the bed and carefully sits down on it so as not to give away just how sore he is.

Gintoki's watching him and he keeps the cloak wrapped tightly around himself in the hopes that Gintoki won't leave without it. Hijikata's bed is a wreck, but he crawls to the top and gets underneath the covers to warm his cold toes. He feels like he has gotten exactly no sleep in days and he must look worse to Gintoki than he had to himself in the mirror – he really hates that idea. He settles in against his pillows and as he does, he decides that trying to be subtle or tactful with any of this is stupid and he's in no mood for it.

“I dunno what you're thinking,” he says bluntly, “but I don't want this to end.”

“My fangs were at your throat and you don't want this to end?”

“They've been at my throat before.”

“Not like that.”

“T-true, but –”

“Did it hurt?”

Hijikata looks at him helplessly and knows he can't lie, but he doesn't want to say yes, either. He stubbornly looks away with gritted teeth and a hand comes up to his throat just to touch it. He can't feel the marks there and no blood is welling up, but he can tell the points where fangs had touched base on how tender the skin is.

“Are you gonna leave when the sun goes down?”

Gintoki lets out a low rumble. “Of course.”

“Will you be coming back?”

“We'll see.”

“I don't like that answer.”

“It's the only one I can give right now.” Hijikata glares at him, but it gets interrupted by a yawn that more less demonstrates how tired he feels. “You should try to sleep some more, I don't think you got enough.”

“And let you slip away once the sun is gone? No way.”

Gintoki takes a step toward the bed, but must think better of it because he circles around to get closer to the balcony doors. He looks outside for a moment before making sure the doors are shut tight and the shades are drawn.

“I'll stay until you wake up.”

“You will?” Hijikata asks skeptically.

“If it means you'll sleep, yes. You need rest more than you know.”

“You have to talk to me, though. No leaving until we've spoken, you can't just wait until I open my eyes, then take off.”

Gintoki hesitates, but relents, “Fine.”

Yawning again, Hijikata shimmies down and he should be alarmed by how tired he is, but he's literally too exhausted to think about it much. His eyelids are already so heavy and once his head hits the pillow, he drifts off.

-o-O-o-

The next time Hijikata opens his eyes, the entire room is pitch black and his heart skips a beat. He sits up and hears no other sounds anywhere and it doesn't help that his eyes are more or less useless.

“Turn the lantern on,” he says to the darkness and holds his breath.

Scant seconds later, there's a hiss of a match and Gintoki's lighting the lantern on Hijikata's desk. He lets the breath out as the room gets partially illuminated and he gets up to put on some proper sleeping clothes.

“Is it still daylight?”

“Sun went down about an hour ago.”

“Hn... did anyone come up here?”

“Yes, but you slept through the knocking.”

Hijikata changes into one of his cotton nightshirts that hangs down to his knees, but he doesn't relinquish the cloak and he doesn't plan to until he gets some proper reassurance. Gintoki doesn't move at all and Hijikata has a feeling that he just stood in one place the whole time he slept. Sleeping had been the best choice for him, he decides, because he feels much better now. He still aches, of course, but it's more manageable and his neck doesn't feel nearly as tender as before.

“I really need to get going....”

“Alright, then when can I expect you back?”

“It's difficult to say,” Gintoki replies, his face stony and remote.

Hijikata scowls. “You don't get to do that anymore. We've been doing this long enough that you should start cluing me in on some stuff. When you'll be back is a –”

Something bangs against the balcony window and in the time it takes Hijikata to flinch, Gintoki is between him and the sound.

Just as quickly, Gintoki's shoulders are slumping and he's saying, “Don't answer that.”

“Answer... that was a knock?”

Hijikata pushes by him, but Gintoki gets in his way. “That's not a good idea.”

“Move aside!”

“No, I don't –” The doors burst open by what seems to be a strong gust of wind and Gintoki implores, “Don't invite him in!”

“You can enter!”

Seconds after Hijikata says the words, something smacks into the side of Gintoki's face and a low snarl sounds in the back of Gintoki's throat. Hijikata stares with his eyes wide and his jaw dropped as a brown bat crawls his way up Gintoki's face and perches in a bed of curls on top of his head. The bat's wings are leathery and he has little claws at the points where the wings bend. He's currently using those graspers like hooks to cling to little tufts of perm hair as he settles down. He has a long snout, small rounded ears, a strange mound of raised and wavy fur along his head and neck, and his eyes are a shade of blue not too unlike Hijikata's own.

Gintoki's glaring at Hijikata as he seethes, “Why did you do exactly what I told you _not_ to do?”

“I was curious.”

“You've made a grave mistake.”

“More grave than allowing a vampire into my bed? I doubt that,” Hijikata scoffs and takes a step closer. “Is this a... pet of some kind?”

“In a sense, I suppose,” Gintoki muses and his glare tempers to something thoughtful. The bat yanks on his hair and opens his jaws to let out a high pitched chuff of protest. “Or maybe that's not entirely true.”

“Does he have a name?”

“Yes.”

Hijikata shifts awkwardly. “You gonna tell me or...?”

“No, he can get off me and introduce himself.”

With a soft screech, the bat flops around until he falls off Gintoki's head and glides a short distance away. In a swirl of what appears to be black sand or wisps of dark mist, the bat disappears and a tall man with a large smile and a mess of brown permy hair steps forward.

“The name's Sakamoto!”

“You're a person,” Hijikata says and grabs onto his bedpost for some stability.

“Well,” Sakamoto shrugs, “sort of?”

“You were just on his head and now... you're standing there.”

“I was tired! My favorite person didn't come home last night and I got worried.”

Gintoki snarls under his breath. “You're so full of it.”

“But it's true! It's not safe for us right now, you know that!”

Hijikata holds up a hand and reaches out to tug on Gintoki's sleeve. “Can I have a – no, actually, just get over here, I need to talk to you.”

Gintoki comes with him easily, but uses a hand to shoo Sakamoto away. Under different circumstances, it might be amusing to see someone like Sakamoto sigh and dejectedly face the corner to the right of the balcony door.

“As usual, you make staying away from you very difficult for me,” Gintoki grumbles and lets Hijikata take him to a closely knit space between the desk and the closet.

“Shut up, who is that?”

“A... friend.”

“How many _friends_ do you have? Why is he here?”

Gintoki's eyes keep drifting downward, but he makes no move to get closer or reach out.

“I have no idea why he's here. You wanted to know more and now you do, I would think you'd be thrilled.”

“Yes, I wanna know more, but a little forewarning would've been appreciated!”

“Then I should forewarn you that he can hear every word we're saying.”

“He... can?”

“I wasn't kidding when I told you that my hearing is much better than yours.”

“At least you told him _something_ ,” Sakamoto mutters.

Hijikata looks over at him and he's still far across the room standing near the window like he isn't paying attention. He sees Sakamoto's lips move, but no sounds comes out.

“I heard that!” Gintoki calls and sends a dark look his way. “You're not funny!”

“So there's no point in being over here away from him, is there?”

“Not really, no.”

“Oh.”

“I could make him leave.”

“Don't do that yet.”

“You!” Sakamoto chirps, appearing right next to them. He quickly fluffs up Gintoki's hair with a hand that promptly gets smacked away, but the exchange happens so fast that Hijikata almost misses it. “I know your dirty little secret!” He laughs and puts his hands on his hips as Gintoki pushes him back a few steps so he's between Sakamoto and Hijikata. “You're going to be in so much trouble!”

“I am _not_ ,” Gintoki chastises and glances at Hijikata. “Don't listen to him, he just likes to talk.”

“That's true, but what I'm saying is true, too.” Sakamoto appears behind Hijikata and pulls him backward a couple steps toward the center of the room. “You might want to keep a little distance between yourself and him right now.”

Gintoki shoves Sakamoto away in a blink and has a hand gripping the collar of his coat. A rumbling growl is sounding in Gintoki's throat, like the warning a pissed off animal might give before biting, and he once more puts himself right between Hijikata and Sakamoto.

“Don't touch him,” Gintoki warns lowly.

Sakamoto, however, doesn't appear alarmed and instead looks delighted, which seems completely ludicrous to Hijikata. This whole this is absurd to him and he's having trouble processing it, but he does recognize he has a huge opportunity presenting itself to him. He'll be kicking himself if he doesn't try to take advantage of it and who honestly knows when he might get another chance like this!

“Does that mean you have a bat form, too?” Hijikata asks and comes up closer behind Gintoki.

Sakamoto gasps. “You haven't shown him yet?”

“Of course not!”

“Wait, how long has this been going on?”

“None of your business.”

Sakamoto looks to Hijikata expectantly. “A-ah... awhile?”

“More than a month?”

“Yeah?”

“And you haven't shown him?” Sakamoto asks again and Hijikata takes notice of how Sakamoto's fangs differ slightly from Gintoki's. “That's so old fashioned of you, how endearing!”

“It's not old fashioned!”

“That's so last century, are you serious?”

“Stop it, no it's not!”

Sakamoto's laugh settles down and he relaxes with a pat to Gintoki's shoulder. “You're right, I'm sorry. This is just... not what I was expecting, least of all from _you_.”

“Shut up, we're leaving.”

“You can't leave!” Hijikata protests. “I said no leaving until you tell me when you'll come back.”

“In a week,” Sakamoto says and smiles. “That should be long enough for him to get himself together.”

“I'm _fine_ ,” Gintoki snaps.

Sakamoto snorts. “He's not fine and he has a lot of explaining to do for you. Give him a week and he'll come back.”

“Don't put words in my mouth!”

“You can keep his cloak, he really likes that thing.”

Gintoki shoves Sakamoto to the balcony. “I'm about to rip your jaw off if you don't stop talking.”

“ _Someone_ has to tell the poor guy something!”

“It shouldn't be you!”

“You're right, it shouldn't!”

Gintoki sighs and turns to Hijikata. “I'll be back in a week, okay?”

“And you'll answer more things then?”

“...yes.”

Hijikata doesn't get the opportunity to comment because both vampires have leapt over the banister and disappeared. He follows them outside, but he sees no trace of them in the yard below and there's suddenly just... so much to process. This in no way went as he thought it would and while the appearance of Sakamoto is startling, an incredible amount of relief comes from knowing Gintoki will be coming back soon.

**To Be Continued**

 


	10. Midnight Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Sakamoto things -- PLUS AWESOME ART!!

**Art by:[Sid <3](http://kattebaka.tumblr.com/)**

Three days have passed since Gintoki left and Hijikata's still having a hard time accepting it. Only two things remind him – first, the lingering aches in his body and second, Gintoki's cloak that Hijikata keeps out so it's within his sights. He feels really good now and he slept exceedingly well the night before – likely because he'd been so tired, but knowing that Gintoki's going to come back in less than a week helps. Work around the manor has gone smoothly and he has been feeling so well that Kondo isn't giving him anymore worried glances.

Hijikata's working quietly and brightens his lantern up when the sun finally goes down.He's finishing up some extra things that had been straggling after he took the afternoon off the other day. It's not important stuff necessarily, but it all needs to be done before the end of the week so he can send the proper letters out to get them where they need to go in time. He has Gintoki's cloak resting on the bed underneath the covers, that's the only place he feels it's safe to keep it. He can't have Kondo coming in and asking him where he got it, that'd make for an awkward conversation.

He works for a couple hours and he's glad he put new oil in the lantern to keep it bright. His eyes don't strain this way and it takes a lot longer for them to get tired given the hour. He doesn't make any accidental stains with the ink, which he's proud of, and he's careful to blow on the papers to make sure the ink dries like it should. He pulls out envelopes and starts addressing some of them to get them ready to be sent out. He wants to get them all organized so he doesn't overlook the really important ones or lose track of which ones need to take priority.

Nails tap against his window and the hairs on the back of Hijikata's neck stand on end because he knows he's not alone and he knows the person out there isn't Gintoki. The nails scrape against glass since Hijikata remains frozen and when the doors open, he spins around. Sakamoto has slipped into his room with a smile so wide it shows off his partially distended fangs. He doesn't necessarily look threatening, but Hijikata can feel fear creeping up his spine. He'd felt safe with Gintoki here, never once had he feared Sakamoto then, but Gintoki's absence is loud and leaves Hijikata feeling exposed.

“Good eve – don't freak out!” Sakamoto says and steps back toward the door so he's standing near the curtains. Hijikata's skin is still prickling and his heart has sped up in alarm, his whole body is telling him to get away. “I'll stay right here, okay?”

“O...kay... what do you want?”

“Just to talk to you!”

“Does he know you're here?”

“No, and he'd be angry if he found out.”

“How angry?”

“Probably throw me into sunlight angry.” Hijikata gets an absurd amount of pleasure from the comment and he thinks Sakamoto even senses it because he frowns a little. “Anyway, he can't be near you for a few more days, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to come chat.”

“Chat....”

“Yeah, unless you'd prefer I leave.”

“Not yet,” Hijikata says and the words are out of his mouth before he can think it over. He wants answers, more than anything else, more than even a reprieve from his own fear right now, he wants actual answers. “I'm just not... I don't like this.”

“Would it help if I were smaller and more adorable?”

“No, and you're not adorable.”

Sakamoto clutches his chest. “That hurts! So mean! But that's to be expected, you'll think differently of Gintoki.”

“So he really has a... bat form?”

“Yes, but I'm not surprised he hasn't shown you. He's so weird about it.”

“How so?”

“He sees it as something intimate, I think.”

“Does he look like you?”

“Nope! We all look different.”

Sakamoto moves slightly and Hijikata reflexively shoves the chair in front of himself. It topples over and makes a loud clattering sound that has Hijikata holding his breath, listening for any sounds of someone coming up the stairs. Sakamoto must be listening for it, too, because he has gone motionless and has his head tilted to the side.

“You're really not okay with me being here, are you?” Hijikata doesn't want to say anything and it's not like he knows what to say at all, so by way of answer, he shakes his head. “That's okay, that's normal for stuff like this, just so you know.”

“I never felt like this with him.”

“Yeah, I know. Don't worry, you'll learn more about this later. Chances are, you'll never feel comfortable with me or anyone else, either. Though, the next time he tells you not to invite someone in, you might want to listen.”

“It seemed okay at the time.”

“And now?”

Hijikata shrugs. “I don't know.”

“It'll be in your best interest to listen to him more from now on. And since you're so uncomfortable, this might help!” Sakamoto pulls a pair of round glasses out of his jacket and the glass is tinted so Hijikata can't see his eyes after he puts them on. “Better?”

“I guess....”

“Our eyes can really freak people out and Gintoki has it the worst since his eyes are already red.”

“They've never bothered me.”

“I can smell the lie in that one, try again.”

“I'm not lying! They've never bothered me! The last time he was here was... different, but he doesn't freak me out.”

“Oo, _last time_. What happened?”

“Like I'm gonna tell you!”

“You're right, I shouldn't have asked. I think I saw enough the last time I was here to guess at what happened, anyway.”

Hijikata's temper flares. “It's none of your business.”

“Well, that's debatable. Who Gintoki brings in from the outside has a direct effect on my life, I'd say that makes it sort of my business.”

“Then tell me why he can't be near me! Where is he?”

Sakamoto shifts. “I don't know if I can tell you that. It would make more sense coming from him and it would probably mean more, too.”

Hijikata scowls at that and stays put where he's at as far from Sakamoto as he can be within the room. No matter the time that passes, Hijikata feels no less uncomfortable having Sakamoto here – the glasses haven't helped very much.

“How many years have you known him?”

“I've lost count, at least a century.”

“That's a long time.”

“But you know, as far as our kind go, we're still really young. Babies.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“It's true! I would know!”

Thinking of Gintoki as so _young_ when he's so much older than Hijikata is... very strange.

“So... he can't be near me for a few days?”

“Correct.”

“Is it something I did?”

“Not on purpose, no.”

“What can I do to help him?”

“That's tough to answer, you'd have to ask him.”

“I sorta have, he always tells me that he's fine or the way things are is good for him.”

Sakamoto frowns. “I can't tell if he wants to keep you or not.”

Hijikata's heart seizes. “What does that mean?”

“It's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it? He either keeps you or he doesn't.”

“Why wouldn't he?”

“There are a lot of reasons, really, but I have trouble believing that he'd get involved with someone he doesn't intend to keep.”

That doesn't make him feel any better.

“What does it mean to... keep me?”

“Ah, I was wondering if you'd ask that. It's a different experience for everyone of our kind, so I can't speak for him, but I _can_ say that we're possessive creatures that don't let go of the ones we decide to keep.” Hijikata flushes and the tips of Sakamoto's fangs flash over his bottom lip. “Well now, that's a very fetching look, isn't it?”

“Shut up.”

“I can see why he might take a liking to you.”

“If you don't shut up, I'll tell him you said that.”

Much to his surprise, Sakamoto's fangs disappear and his teasing demeanor changes to one of basic interest. He doesn't appear scorned, but he also doesn't seem to be willing to push anything after such a seemingly small threat. Hijikata files that away to keep it in mind and he has to wonder about the dynamics between Sakamoto and Gintoki. Is Sakamoto backing off because he respects Gintoki or because he's legitimately cautious about what he might do.

“Are you two close?”

“Yes.”

“How close?”

“I was sitting on his head the last time you saw me, what does that tell you?”

“That you either can't fly very well or he's used to you being an annoyance.”

“Haha! You're so lively, that's good! How did you two meet? I must know!”

“Too bad I'm not going to tell you,” Hijikata replies and he really can't say how unwilling he is to divulge such personal information.

“Come now, give me something!”

“Absolutely not!”

“Just one thing?”

“No.”

Sakamoto hisses and it's a guttural noise – it's very different from the way Gintoki sounds. “Tarnation! He won't tell me anything, either!”

“Good.”

“I'll get something out of one of you at some point!”

“Not likely.”

“But these stories are a right of passage!”

“Give it up already.”

Sakamoto being more animated has quickened Hijikata's pulse again and his nervousness folds in on itself as it doubles. He stays very still and waits for the flighty feeling to simmer before he searches for something new to ask. So far as he knows, this is his only chance to get some concrete details and he has to take advantage of it.

“How many of you are there?”

“Mm, unfortunately, for the safety of beloveds, I can't tell you that until I know whether or not Gintoki's going to keep you.”

Swallowing, Hijikata dares to ask, “If he decides to keep me, will I be turned into one of you?”

The ensuing silence is nerve-racking and Sakamoto has gone stone still as Gintoki has many times before.

“That all depends,” Sakamoto says softly.

“On what?”

“You.”

**To Be Continued**

 


	11. Step Outside and No Invitation is Needed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A silver haired deception! 
> 
> @Silvia -- you know this is because I love you.

“ _Me_?” Sakamoto only stares. “I don't understand any of this, what do I need to do differently?”

“I can't really tell you.”

“What _can_ you tell me? It doesn't seem like you're here to do anything except confuse me more!”

“I'm sorry you feel that way, but I did come for a reason.”

“For what, then? To check me out and make sure I'm – I'm – _good enough_?”

Sakamoto's head tips slightly. “Maybe that's half true.”

“What's the other half?”

“Well, can you smell me?”

This would be such an odd question if Hijikata didn't already know he's talking to a vampire. It also says a lot about Hijikata that he barely thinks anything of the question – like it's _normal_ when it's _not_.

“I'm fairly sure you know I can't... and I don't want to, anyway.”

“But you want to smell him, am I right?”

Yes, but he's not going to say that – though, it looks like Sakamoto already knows.

Frowning, Hijikata reaches down and rights the fallen chair, asking, “Am I supposed to infer that the other reason you're here is to see if I wanted to give you a sniff?”

“Ha! No!” He pauses and hums. “Actually... perhaps. There are two things about that.” He holds up two fingers and Hijikata can see, even at a distance, the finely tipped points of each nail. “You know he's not human.”

For whatever reason, Sakamoto pauses and Hijikata feels obliged to say with barely contained sarcasm, “There were some hints, yeah.”

“Ah, see, sometimes, given that he and I are creatures of the night, people find that alluring.”

“I hate to be the one to break this to you, but the whole vampire thing is _very_ interesting.”

“Yeah... and sometimes people _only_ stay for that.”

Hijikata makes sure distance stays between him and Sakamoto as he sits down on the edge of the seat.

“So you're saying if he does decide to keep me, he _is_ going to turn me?”

“I never explicitly said that.”

“Probably because he or someone else told you not to.”

“Another thing I can't confirm or deny.”

Hijikata shakes his head in annoyance and thinks that over. He knows Sakamoto has the ability to disappear any second, so he doesn't want to take too long.

“Are you thinking I'm only interested in him because I want him to turn me?”

“The thought has crossed my mind now that I've met you.”

“I don't suppose just telling you that that's not true will work?”

“It will not.”

“Is that why he's giving me some space?”

“Might be part of it, but I've already told you that you'll have to talk to him about that.”

Hijikata stifles a sigh and his faces heats before he has a chance to will it away. He _has_ bared his neck for Gintoki before. It had been in the heat of the moment and it hadn't been because he wanted to be a vampire. As embarrassing as it is in hindsight, he'd only wanted Gintoki to take from him, not _turn_ him. Though, maybe from Gintoki's perspective it had seemed like something else.

“You said there were two things about smell,” Hijikata says. “And by the way, that first one wasn't really about scent.”

“I want to make sure you're not sniffing around for a way to turn, it's a figurative usage.”

“I'm aware.”

“The second part is less figurative.”

“Do explain,” Hijikata offers drily and even sweeps his hand.

“I found this place by following Gintoki's scent trail. He's good at hiding it, but over the years I've gotten good at finding it.” He pauses and then adds, “Sometimes.” Sakamoto's fangs flash over his bottom lip like before and Hijikata's discomfort rears up so much he almost stands. “Anyway, if he really does have a vested interest in wanting to keep you, it's best to have more scents than just his around here.”

“Why?”

Sakamoto opens his mouth, shuts it, wriggles his nose, and huffs.

It seems like he's really trying to come up with some big explanation, but all he ends up saying is, “Vampire things.”

“I'm sure I'd understand if you tried to explain.”

“You might try to understand, but you won't really get it unless you've got hypersensitive scent glands and an unrivaled sense of possessiveness.”

“If he's so possessive, he won't like your scent being here at all.”

The idea of Sakamoto's scent being on his things even grosses Hijikata out a bit.

“He hates it, in fact,” Sakamoto says brightly, “he already got on me about it the first time I was here.”

“Yet you came back.”

“It's safer for you this way.”

Hijikata nods like he understands and, in a way, he thinks he does. Two scents maybe means they were just passing through or something. There might be more to it than that, but it seems Sakamoto has reached his max on his ability to explain.

“If your senses are so strong, then won't Gintoki know you've been here once you see him?”

Sakamoto laughs softly and the hairs on the back of Hijikata's neck raise – he doesn't like the sound _at all_.

“He would, but I'm not stupid enough to do something like that.”

“So you won't see him tonight?”

“No.” Sakamoto looks outside and shifts until he sees the moon. “I've stayed long enough for this evening.”

“Will you be coming back anytime soon? I'd like a little warning if there's going to be a next time.”

“Coming here by myself without Gintoki and without his permission once is all I'm willing to risk.”

“So, he _is_ coming back.”

“You have his cloak,” Sakamoto replies simply, “he won't just leave that.”

Hijikata's stomach drops – he at least wants to think he means more than a cloak, even one as nice as Gintoki's.

“Aside from you, there won't be any more of your kind coming here, will there?”

“You'll get no more out of me, human.”

Sakamoto moves to the exit and Hijikata doesn't know what to say in farewell, so he improvises with, “Stay outta the sunlight.”

The vampire's answering laugh is unsettling and it seems to echo around the room even though Hijikata can't see him anymore. The curtains billow and Hijikata shivers against the sudden chill. It takes him awhile to feel comfortable enough to move and when he does, he crawls into bed and wraps Gintoki's cloak around himself. It's the only thing that calms him, but even with his human senses, he can tell that Gintoki's scent is slowly fading.

His sleep that night is troubled.

-o-O-o-

Two more days pass and Hijikata makes it through one quiet day and night after another. There are no disturbances and nothing out of the ordinary happens, it's just business as usual. The visit from Sakamoto has enlightened Hijikata in some ways and at least now he's sure that Gintoki will be coming back at some point, even if it's just for the cloak.

Everything surrounding this is a lot for Hijikata to wrap his mind around and he wishes, not for the first time, that there was a good way to communicate with Gintoki. This whole situation he's in is _ridiculous_ from a human standpoint and when Gintoki is gone, after the marks have faded, it never feels real anymore. Consistently, everything that's happening with Gintoki feels like a dream until he shows up again. Each encounter is always so hurried and Gintoki leaves so quickly, Hijikata can never get a grasp on it.

Though, he'll have to if Sakamoto, or other vampires, start showing up with more frequency. Hijikata really hopes Sakamoto is the last until Gintoki comes back and he doesn't like that he wasn't given a guarantee on that. Vampires are hunters and Hijikata doesn't know if it's some kind of sixth sense he has or what, but he doesn't _feel_ good around other vampires. He knows it could just be that he doesn't like Sakamoto, but even two days later and Hijikata _still_ hasn't managed to fully escape the discomfort Sakamoto had instilled in him just by being here. Hijikata has gone over it a dozen or more times and he's certain he hadn't felt so strongly toward Sakamoto when Gintoki had been at his side – he'd felt _safe_ then.

Hijikata has been trying to avoid thinking about turning, too. He only gets upset when he thinks about it since he doesn't like the idea of Gintoki believing Hijikata only lets him close in the hopes that Gintoki will turn him. From what Sakamoto had said, Hijikata can guess that there's rules surrounding turning a human into a vampire, but Hijikata can't really come up with what those rules might be. He adamantly refuses to consider that Gintoki doesn't want to keep him and he refuses to think about why he wants to be kept so bad just as fervently – there are a lot of things he's not ready for yet.

“Tosshi?” Kondo calls.

Hijikata answers loudly, “In the library!”

Kondo enters just as Hijikata puts another log into the fire. He has been spending more and more time in the library lately and keeping the fire going in the evenings has helped stave off the chill Sakamoto had left. He's certain once Gintoki gets here, he'll be able to drive that chill away, but until then, this is where Hijikata loiters. He hates waiting for Gintoki like this and with each hour that passes, Hijikata feels like his anxiousness gets worse. That, too, is something only Gintoki has the power to fix and with his growing restlessness, Hijikata is beginning to resent that.

“Sorry to disturb you, but someone's at the door for you.”

“This late?”

“He apologized sincerely for the hour, he said he has had a really bad day and you're the last stop.”

“Oh... who is he?”

“Didn't say, he only mentioned he had a letter for you.” Kondo shrugs indulgently, saying, “You know how those messengers can be since we get them at all hours nowadays. Though, this one is sort of a different looking fellow.”

“How so?”

“I just don't see many silver haired gentlemen at his age.”

Hijikata's heart jumps excitedly in his chest and he does his best to keep it from showing.

“At his age? Is he young?”

“Yes, quite! Someone you're expecting?”

“Not that I know of, but thanks, I'll take it from here.”

Hijikata makes a point to walk slowly, but then he hurries to the door once he's out of Kondo's sights and he doesn't care if Gintoki teases him for getting excited.

Gintoki actually came to the door and let himself be seen by someone – Kondo, even! That has to mean something, doesn't it? The cloak is still in Hijikata's room, so if that's all Gintoki had wanted, then he could have just grabbed it and left. Hijikata goes over his conversation with Sakamoto again and tries to decipher any hints from it that might point to this being some kind of next step, but he can't think of any signifiers.

Opening the heavy front door, Hijikata walks outside and the moment the fresh air hits him, he knows something is wrong. Even before he sees what's out here with him, he has that same cold feeling in his gut telling him that this isn't right. His muscles tense, his mouth dries, and some baser, more primal, instinct tells him that this is what it feels like to be hunted.

**To Be Continued**

 

 


	12. Don't Look Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No, it's not Gintoki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SILVIA!!! <3333

The door shuts loudly behind Hijikata and before he can react, he sees the vampire outside with him. He's not the same height as Gintoki, but his hair _is_ silver, though, the wrong shade. His eyes aren't red, they're a dark brown, and there's a light in them that's unnatural and terrifying. Hijikata's stomach turns over and a cold fear settles over him, keeping him in place. It's not a feeling he has any control over, so there's no stopping it from taking over him completely and making his heart speed up. The modern trousers, shirt, and coat the vampire is wearing look natural, but also out of place – they look _too_ normal against his unnaturally fair features.

“You don't have a message,” Hijikata says into the distended silence.

“How insightful of you.”

His voice is deep and somewhat rumbly, but there's a trace of something in it. Similar to Gintoki, it seems like this vampire has the undercurrent of a thick accent that he's covering up. It slips out in Gintoki from time to time and that's the only reason Hijikata can recognize the small hint of it now.

The vampire takes a step toward him and Hijikata takes a step back, warning, “Don't come any closer.”

“You're in no position to tell me to do anything.”

Panic prickles all over Hijikata's body and he tries desperately to think of a way out of this. Thanks to Gintoki and Sakamoto, he knows how fast vampires are, so he knows if he takes a breath to yell, the vampire will be able to silence him before any sound escapes. Any move he makes can be counteracted before he can even finish, so despite the fear, he has to really _think_ before he acts because if he doesn't, it can cost him his life.

“Kondo will come looking for me.”

“He's upstairs talking to someone, you'll be long gone before he thinks to look.”

Hijikata's heart beats more wildly within his chest and he knows the vampire can hear it as clearly as Gintoki could. He tries to take a calming breath to help him think, but he shudders when he inhales and his fingers tremble.

“I can't just vanish.”

“You can,” the vampire assures smoothly – knowingly, “but if you're adamant not to, then I can arrange for pieces of you to be found.”

“If – if you do that, they'll look for my killer. Kondo knows you're the last person I was in contact with.”

“That's almost clever, except,” the vampire lowers his voice, “I'm not a person.” He disappears from Hijikata's line of sight and the sound of his voice comes from behind him. “They can look,” Hijikata spins, but sees no one, “all they want.” He turns again, following the sound. “But they'll never find me.” Hijikata turns again and his spine goes rigid when they come face to face. “Unless I want them to.”

“Who _are_ you?” Hijikata asks and takes a reflexive few steps away as he desperately reaches for something to stall with.

“You won't be alive long enough for it to matter,” the vampire replies nonchalantly and steps forward after him.

“Do you have a name?”

“Another useless question.”

“Did someone send you?”

“It doesn't matter either way.”

Hijikata stands his ground with false bravado. “Why me?”

“That should be obvious and if it isn't, I'm not going to waste my time explaining it to a dead man walking.”

A fresh wave of _cold_ washes over Hijikata and the steely assurance of his own death resounds through him. The further quickening of his heart doesn't matter, but the glint of fangs over bloodless lips does and his stomach turns sour. Ideas flash through his mind, but there's so many at once, he can't pick one and they'd all probably be useless anyway. The vampire's eyes gleam and fall to his throat, likely training on his thrumming pulse. Reflexively, his hand goes up for cover it, to hide it, like that might help him somehow – the vampire only chuckles.

“Human resistance is truly so paltry.”

An idea.

“Gimme a head start and maybe it won't be.”

The vampire tilts his head in thought and his wavy bangs feather out to brush against his forehead, which casts the slightest shadow over one eye. Vampires are hunters by nature and he's debating, pausing, calculating. Hijikata keeps a hand over his throat and more options come to him, but he can't act on any of them like this. There's too little space between them and not enough time to take action. Kondo must still be preoccupied since the vampire is so unconcerned about being interrupted and it's clear he's keeping tabs on everyone's whereabouts within the manor.

“Very well, but call out to anyone and I'll crush your throat.”

Hijikata nods stiffly in understanding and then he's slowly, so slowly, moving to the end of the porch. If he runs, the hunter will give chase instantly on instinct. If he goes for the door, he'll be stopped before he can touch the handle. If he yells for the nearest person, he'll be immediately silenced. If he goes for a window, he'll be cut off and killed. He reaches the end of the porch and steps down carefully while never taking his eyes off the vampires that's watching him hungrily. The look of hunger on Gintoki's face is decidedly different than this, the two are worlds apart, and not even Sakamoto had looked at Hijikata like this.

He steps to the side along the manor and only once he's out of sight does he run. He's aware it doesn't matter since the vampire can still hear him and track him easily, but it's a comfort that he's not watching. His hand drops from his neck so he can run faster and the ironic thing is that there really isn't anywhere for him to run. Fields, crops, woods – none of these are good options for him, but he goes for the woods since that's the best of the worst. Trees and bushes, both are things he can use, but he can't hide, there's no hiding.

He has matches, though. He'd used them to light the fire in the library and then he'd put them in his pocket where they still rest. If he can light something on fire... he doesn't know what that might do, but it's _something_ when he has basically nothing. His heart is in his throat and he doesn't look back, he can't, he doesn't want to see. He doesn't know how long he has before the vampire comes after him and that adds an extra layer of terror onto him.

Reaching the woods offers no reassurance and he gets hit in the face with a branch almost right away. It snaps against his cheek, but doesn't slow him down and he barely even feels it. He can't see very well, there's not enough light, and he's hyperaware of every twig that breaks or branch that creaks. It's easy to imagine the vampire silently shadowing him and making noises just to spook him – playing with him, like he's a momentarily amusing toy. He's panting heavily and the noise is loud, way too loud, which gives him away all the more.

Hijikata trips on a tree root and it's sheer dumb luck that he doesn't fall. He does scrape his palm on some bark when he reaches out to catch himself, but he keeps his feet beneath him. He needs to pull out the matches and light some, but he can't bring himself to stop. He hasn't ever felt blind fear like this before and it's so consuming that he can't break free of the urge to _run_.

“I thought this would be more fun,” is the only warning Hijikata gets.

Hijikata has never been bodily thrown before and it's not an enjoyable experience by any means. His stomach rolls and an acidic taste licks at the back of his throat all before he crashes head first into the ground. He ends up biting his tongue and blood fills his mouth so much it spills over his lips. His wrist throbs, but he can't tell if it's broken or not. His fingers, however, some of those are definitely broken, but he doesn't care as he scrambles up to keep running.

It's futile – this vampire is way too fast and much too strong, Hijikata doesn't stand a chance. Since he's now bleeding, he'll be even easier to track and he has no idea where this vampire is. Still, he runs and the panic lodged into him is so overwhelming he can barely breathe. There's really no hope for him unless the sun decides to come up over half a dozen hours in advance, then Hijikata has no defense against him.

Yet, he has to keep trying.

With shaking hands, Hijikata pulls out his matches and barely manages to light one after he skids to a stop. He drops the match quickly, then lights another. He lights as many as he can in the hopes that one of them might catch and he's able to light several before a hand grabs his leg. The vampire yanks and he falls backward, but then he throws himself forward to punch the vampire in the face. A sharp pain shoots up his arm and he's reminded that more than one of his fingers are broken, but the vampire does let go.

He rolls and gets up only to be thrown again, but this time it's right into a tree. It winds him and possibly breaks some ribs. His world has turned black from the blow and his vision, when it returns, his spotty and splotched. The forest is also edged in orange now and there's a thick smoke filling the spaces between the trees. A fire is what he wanted, but now that he's trying to get his breath back, all he does is cough as the smoke fills his lungs. It's all panic now – white hot, rapid fire. There's no point in running anymore, he can't get his feet under him, and through the smoke, he can see the obscure outline of the vampire.

Wrapping the fingers of his good hand around the thick weight of a branch, Hijikata waits. He keeps his eyes open even though they water against the smoke and he doesn't look away from the outline. He can't get his breathing under control and his heart is in his throat, but the idea of giving up doesn't cross his mind.

“You've got some moxy,” the vampire says and the light in his eyes is made brighter by the growing flames. “It has been decades since a human has dared to hit me.”

Hijikata doesn't respond, he just clenches his jaw and _breathes_. The vampires comes closer and closer, fearing nothing – what does a vampire have to fear from a wounded human?

In a blur, the vampire comes forward and Hijikata uses all the strength he can summon to bring the branch around. For a moment, he doesn't think he'll be fast enough, but then he feels the hit strike something solid and it ricochets up his arm. The wood falls from his hand upon impact to the vampire's face and the wood makes a cracking sound as it splinters, but the vampire is unaffected aside from a momentary shock. It doesn't even look like the hit leaves any kind of mark, but it's enough to allow Hijikata to scramble around the side of the tree.

He stumbles to his feet and his legs are unreliable, exhausted. He dives for the fire and grabs a different branch, but this one is on fire. He throws it in an arc toward the general direction the vampire is and starts spreading the flames that way. What that's supposed to accomplish, he isn't sure, but it's all he has. Maybe vampires are immune to fire, but their clothes aren't and surely their flesh has to burn – they were human once, too.

Sweat pours down his face and into his eyes, he spits out blood, and he keeps going. He surrounds himself in fire on all sides until he's encased in it and the vampire will either have to cross the threshold or wait for the flames to move in on him.

Or jump down from above directly into the center of the ring – something Hijikata hadn't considered.

Before he can get a word out or even take his next breath, there's an iron grip on his throat, cutting off his air. He gets lifted easily off the ground until just his toes are touching and he does his best to scratch and tear at the arm suspending him. He kicks out and throws his weight, but his vision is already going. His lungs are aching, all he can see are burning eyes and fangs, then, nothing. His struggles start to subside as his strength leaves him and try as he might, he can't get free.

The vampire shifts and Hijikata can sense it: the final blow is coming and there's no escaping it.

**To Be Continued**

 


	13. Not All Gifts are Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata faces one problem after another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SILVIA!! I love you soooo much and I can't wait to see you in July! I'm literally counting the days <333

Flames lick at Hijikata's body and the smoke is so thick he can't see anything other than shadows anymore, but still, he clings to every breath he can steal knowing it could be his last. Something in his neck cracks under the pressure of iron-like fingers and after that, he can no longer get any air into his body. The pain is still very present, but after that cracking sound, he doesn't feel it as much. He knows it's there, but it's so distant that it doesn't bother him. Nothing bothers him, actually. Not the pain, not the situation, and certainly not the way he's losing everything, including his sight.

“There you are!”

The words are guttural and Hijikata doesn't recognize the voice, but suddenly, the pressure on his neck disappears. He falls heavily to the ground and lands in a heap of boneless limbs. He tries to move, but the most he can manage is a few twitches of his fingers. He groans and gags on the smoke and wetness streams down his face, but he can't tell if it's blood, sweat, or tears from the fire. Liquid keeps pouring over his lips and he chokes on it. He stops trying to move and he never regains his sight even though he knows his eyes are open. Breathing is practically impossible, he's coughing too much and his neck is... it's broken? Maybe. He doesn't know.

Next, it feels like he's floating and that should be terrifying, but it isn't. He can't feel much of anything anymore and even everything going on around him is too far away to get to him. The heat from the fire is nonexistent and while his lungs burn for air, he's unconcerned with it.

“You're safe now, I'm here.”

The voice seems to come from nowhere and Hijikata can't react to it. He's sure he's being moved, but there's no feeling left anywhere. There's nothing.

“Open your mouth.” Hijikata does something, he isn't sure what, but he's positive that he doesn't open his mouth. “Shh, it's okay, I just need you to open your mouth.”

The voice is soft, but firm, strong, and... something else. There's something trembling in that voice, a slight desperation that makes Hijikata consider that everything is much more dire than what he feels. His mind isn't connecting with his body and reality is weaving its way into a very fucked up sort of dream.

Hijikata is vaguely aware of his mouth being opened for him, but nothing comes out except for a reedy wheeze. His mouth fills quickly and he has to swallow just as fast, but it's easy because there are fingers rubbing his throat, encouraging it. The voice is still talking to him, soft and reassuring, but Hijikata can't quite make out what's being said. He thinks that might be okay because the hands never leave him and after one more mouthful from his own bleeding tongue, he finally passes out.

-o-O-o-

Hijikata wakes up and everything about his body hurts. The pain links directly to panic and he quickly remembers what happened in gruesome detail and that's what has him jerking and opening his eyes. Everything around him is bleary, but the hand on his chest that holds him down with ease is both real and alarming.

“It's alright,” a familiar voice says, “it's me, stay still.”

Hijikata stills immediately and tries to speak, but only a gravely sound comes out. His vision is clearing and Gintoki comes into view. His hand is still on Hijikata's chest and he has a glass of water in hand, which he's holding out. He's on the bed beside Hijikata and the blanket is tucked neatly around Hijikata's body, each crease made with crisp precision. Gintoki presses the glass to Hijikata's lips and he drinks as much as he can before Gintoki takes it away telling him not to ingest too much at once just in case.

“How do you feel?”

Gintoki helps him sit up and his head spins round and round and his vision goes right along with it. He doesn't feel terrible, though, and he takes that as a blessing. His vision comes back and it's easier to breathe now. He asks Gintoki for more water and once he drinks a few more gulps, he almost feels good. The panic calms and in its wake, he's amazed that he's alive at all.

“I don't know,” he answers truthfully.

“Are you hurting anywhere?”

“I'm... not sure,” he replies and his voice already sounds stronger. “How long was I out?”

Gintoki shifts slightly. “Awhile.”

“How long is awhile?”

“It's... moving into late afternoon right now.”

Hijikata squints at Gintoki, asking, “When was the fire?”

“Last night.”

“That –” Hijikata breaks off and looks down at himself. “That makes no sense... I was bleeding so much and,” he moves his tongue around in his mouth and his eyes go wide, “I'd bit my tongue! I bit a hole right into it, how the hell is it already healed?”

“You sure pick up on things quick.”

“I was _dying_ ,” Hijikata stresses and Gintoki twitches, “and look at me!” Hijikata waves his wrapped arm, pretty much flails it, and it doesn't hurt nearly as much as he knows it should. “And I'm clean! There isn't a trace of ash or dirt on me!”

“Calm down, you're making your heart beat too fast!”

“I can't help it! What's goin' on?”

“I'll tell you if you calm down.”

“I am calm!”

He's breathing hard and Gintoki is once more holding him still with just one carefully placed hand. Hijikata forces himself to take a few deep breaths and it feels like as he does, the aches all throughout his body ease a little more. His mind continues to clear and as it does, he remembers more of what happened during the fire. He can recall being unable to breathe, of suffocating, he remembers the heat and the smell of burning things, and he vividly remembers what it felt like to have his very life bleed out of him.

“Please explain to me how I'm still alive right now.” Hijikata raises his arm and stares at it. “This was a _mess_ last night, there's no way I should have this much mobility. I probably shouldn't even be able to talk after inhaling all that smoke and I definitely shouldn't be starving, but here I am alive and craving any kind of food available. What _happened_? And who were those other vampires?”

“Which would you like me to answer first?”

“You're actually going to give me some answers?”

“Yeah.”

“Then... who were those vampires?”

Gintoki sighs. “The first was Oboro. He's one of the few vampires that remain of his class. There was a time when we were on good terms with him, but he went rogue and did some things that there isn't any coming back from.”

“And the second?”

“A friend.”

“Where were you?”

“I had to stay away for awhile and give you some space. I didn't know Oboro would be coming after you and if I had, I never would've left your side.”

That's a lot of information right up front – too much at once – and it brings up more questions than it answers. Much as Hijikata wants to ask about the other vampires and why Gintoki had to stay away, he thinks it's more pressing to know how he's even alive.

“So, then how am I functional right now? I got thrown so many times... he grabbed my neck,” his hand goes to his neck so he can touch it, “I thought for sure he crushed something.”

Nothing feels out of the ordinary, his skin just feels like skin and there's nothing protruding or out of place. Gintoki's fingers lightly brush his and Hijikata lets him take his hand. Gintoki's eyes are doing that glowing thing again, the bright ember is back, but the look of longing and hunger that usually accompanies it aren't present.

“He hurt you. Badly.”

“I know. There's no way I can be like after only half a day. It's not possible.” The embers shine a little brighter and a look of guilt flitters over Gintoki's face. Dread begins to pool in Hijikata's stomach and he almost doesn't even want the answer, but at the same time, he wants the answer all the more. “Whatever it is, tell me.”

Gintoki releases Hijikata's hand and shifts on the bed again. He's wearing his black outfit and Hijikata doesn't know if he has taken his cloak back or not.

“Are you sure you want to do this now?”

“Yes.”

“I drink your blood,” Gintoki begins after a moment, “and that impulse is for necessity because of what I am as well as the desire I have. When I take from you, it's to sate various forms of hunger. Your blood could be poisoned and it wouldn't have any effect on me, blood is blood as far as that goes. The same doesn't apply for humans.”

“Well, yeah, humans don't drink blood.”

“No, they don't, but I gave you some of mine.”

Hijikata's brows are slow to pinch downward. “You gave me your... blood?”

“It was the only thing I could think to do that might save you.”

“I don't understand why your blood would heal me like this.”

“Vampiric blood is very different from human blood. Mine in particular is very potent and even just a little bit of it can do a lot for both humans and other vampires.”

Hijikata nods and takes a couple measured breaths to think that over. He can tell Gintoki is somewhat anxious for his response, so Hijikata holds up a finger to let him know he's not about to completely freak out. Yet.

“I'm no expert on this, but I don't think it's good for humans to drink blood.”

“You can drink mine.”

Hijikata thinks back and he remembers Gintoki telling him to open his mouth. He'd thought at the time that it was the wound on his tongue that had caused his mouth to fill the way it had, but apparently, that isn't what had happened.

“Okay, let's say I accept that. Why do you keep looking at me like you've done something wrong?”

“Because I _have_ done something wrong,” Gintoki replies with enough vindication that his fangs extend longer. “Allowing you to drink any of my blood has changed you, don't you see? The moment my blood passed your lips, you were no longer entirely human.”

“I'm not? Does that make me a vampire?”

“No, I have to bite you to turn you into a vampire. You're a hybrid now – not human, not vampire.”

“Why do you seem so upset?”

“I took away your choice! There was no guarantee you'd live through drinking my blood, a lot of people don't –”

“A lot of people? Just how many have you given your blood to?”

“No one!” Gintoki snaps and huffs, visibly calming. “No one before you, but I've seen what happens when a human's body rejects vampiric blood.”

“What happens?”

“There's a range of reactions, all of them gruesome, and they each end in death.”

“I probably would've died if you hadn't done what you did,” Hijikata says slowly, “so I'm not mad... this is just a lot.”

“There's more.”

Hijikata swallows. “What more can there possibly be?”

He's in shock, he knows he has to be in shock, because his reaction doesn't feel big enough for what Gintoki has just told him. He's no longer human – his heart beats faster.

“I'll have to tell you later.”

“No, I want you to tell me now.”

“I can't,” Gintoki replies and looks like he regrets it.

“Because?”

“We're about to have company.”

As predicted, there's a knock at the door and Hijikata tenses and glances at Gintoki to see what he'll do. He makes no move to leave and Hijikata's tenseness has him going rigid since he'll have no way to explain Gintoki, but it turns out, he doesn't have to do anything.

“Enter,” Gintoki says, his attentions remain firmly on Hijikata.

**To Be Continued**

 


	14. Next Chapter Things Get Steamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata learns quite a bit, but not everything is something to be happy about.

Hijikata grows painfully tense as the door opens and he looks pointedly between Gintoki and the door, asking a silent question. Gintoki gives a lazy shrug that completely offsets the urgency Hijikata feels, but before he can do anything further, it's too late.

“Is he awake?” Kondo asks after poking his head in. He sees Hijikata and grins, big and relieved. “He is!”

“Outta the way,” Sougo says and pushes Kondo into the room, then closes the door behind him. He waves lamely to Hijikata, but then his eyes fall on Gintoki and he doesn't look away after that. “The aftermath of the fire have been cleaned up and dealt with, no one saw anything.”

Gintoki nods in acknowledgment. “Thank you.”

“Okay, what's going on?” Hijikata asks and it hasn't escaped his notice that neither Kondo nor Sougo have approached the bed. He looks to Gintoki and his eyes narrow. “They know about you now?”

“I may have hastily introduced myself, in a way.”

“We were just coming up to check in,” Kondo says and his grin has remained on his face.

Sougo asks, “Is there anything you need?”

Unlike Kondo, Sougo is only focused on Gintoki and he even takes a step closer. Gintoki is sitting at Hijikata's side and he's between Hijikata and the door as it opens. It's obviously on purpose that Gintoki is in the spot he has chosen, but he keeps space between himself and Hijikata. He can close the distance with an outstretched arm, as he'd proven when he'd pushed at Hijikata's chest to keep him in place, but other than that, there has been no contact. Gintoki still makes no move to close the gap between them, but at Sougo's aborted advance, he glances over at them and his eyes briefly flick from Kondo to Sougo.

“No, that'll be all.”

Hijikata can't be sure – he can't be sure any of this is even _real_ considering how it's so fucked up – but as he continues to watch Sougo ignore him, he begins to understand what the strange look on Sougo's face is. He and Sougo aren't close by any measure, but even someone somewhat dense like Hijikata can tell when someone is _mooning_ over another person. It's such an absurd thing to see Sougo do. Hijikata has never seen Sougo take an interest in anyone else before and he seems utterly entranced by Gintoki's mere presence. What's even more alarming is that Kondo looks to be similarly affected, though, to perhaps a lesser extent.

Suddenly, and with a horrifying churn of his stomach, Hijikata wonders if that's the way he looks at Gintoki, too.

They must have taken Gintoki's words as a dismissal because they both reluctantly hedge back toward the door, but Hijikata raises a hand and makes a sound to stop them. Their reactions aren't what Hijikata expects them to be and it's unnerving that both Kondo and Sougo look to Gintoki like they're making sure it's okay for them to stop. Meanwhile, Gintoki isn't paying them any attention and he watches Hijikata without blinking.

“Are you up for visitors right now?” Gintoki asks.

“I'm up for knowing more! Last night was... was a _mess_ and now you're here, they know about you, and I'm not burnt to a crisp or ripped to pieces like I probably should be!”

“A lot happened last night and this morning,” Gintoki agrees and the cool assurances of his voice is calming. “You were in no condition to be taken anywhere far, so my best and only option was to bring you back here.”

Kondo makes a little move forward, barely half a step, and without looking away from Hijikata, Gintoki motions slightly with his hand in response.

Only then does Kondo say, “I'd been looking for you and I could smell the fire by then. I called for Sougo and we were on my way out there to investigate when we were interceded.”

“By me,” Gintoki clarifies and once more signals to Kondo to speak.

“It was a shock to see someone with... teeth like that –”

“And glowing eyes,” Sougo adds with an odd smirk.

If Gintoki is displeased with Sougo interrupting, he doesn't show it.

“Yes, among other things... let's just say we didn't need much convincing.” Kondo glances nervously at Gintoki, but gets ignored. “Anyway, he told us not to go outside yet because it wasn't safe and I was focused on you by then, I'd forgotten about the fire.”

“The fire was contained and dealt with by a friend of mine, but they were sent out to handle cleanup once it was safe again,” Gintoki says and Hijikata can't help but notice that an extremely important part of the story has just been skipped. Before Hijikata can comment, Gintoki waves the two of them off. “I'll call if you're needed.”

Kondo waves to Hijikata and smiles with a soft and genuine, “So glad you're okay.”

Sougo doesn't say anything, but he lingers longer than Kondo does, almost like he's reluctant to leave. Eventually, as the silence stretches, he takes the hint and closes the door behind him. They're gone before Hijikata can ask them to bring him something to eat. Despite the confusion and general mayhem, he's starving and weird as it might be, he'd love to have something to snack on while Gintoki explains more things to him, even if it's things he doesn't want to hear.

“Before you even ask, neither of them helped with your injuries.” Now that they're alone, Gintoki has looked away and he situates himself on the bed so he's on his side with his head propped up on his hand. He looks comfortable, but Hijikata doesn't believe for a second that Gintoki is at all at ease. “I brought you straight up here and wouldn't let them anywhere near you until I knew you'd survive.”

Hijikata looks around. “Everything is so clean....”

“I disposed of the clothes you'd been wearing,” Gintoki replies stiffly. “I went over this room thoroughly once you were resting peacefully, you'll find no trace of anything that happened in here.”

“What exactly happened?” Hijikata asks hesitantly.

“You healed. The blood you ingested from me did what it was supposed to do and it healed you. I can give you as many details as you want, but it might be best to leave it alone and just be glad you lived at all.”

Hijikata is torn between wanting to ask and wanting to gloss it over. He'd been in awful shape, he can't imagine what healing in such a short amount of time might look or sound like, and maybe it's best not to know, as Gintoki is suggesting.

“Does it hurt you when you heal?”

The question must catch Gintoki off guard because his eyes flick to Hijikata and assess him quietly for a moment.

“It depends on the extent of the wound and the nature of the injury.”

“If you'd been injured in the same way I had and to the same extent, would it hurt when you healed from it?”

Gintoki's brows crease as he replies, “Yes. I'll feel it in some form with those kinds of injuries no matter what since anything that breaks has to break again to reform itself.”

“I feel like you're leaving something out.”

“No, I'm telling the truth. I've just never had to think about it this way before. The injuries you sustained were fatal to a human and had I been the one to receive them as a vampire, yes, it would've hurt for them to heal, in a sense, but for me...” he trails off and sits up. He's careful not to jostle Hijikata and he doesn't touch him – Hijikata has noticed that, too – as he takes to sitting with one knee raised to his chest facing Hijikata. “I'd feel it, but I wouldn't think much of it.”

“What, do you break bones often?”

To Hijikata's great surprise, Gintoki shrugs. “Often enough, yeah. To me, broken bones are more equivalent to maybe a human stubbing their toe. That's kind of a guess because I don't quite remember what it feels like to stub my toe and not practically break whatever I hit with it, but I think the two are close enough. Whatever is a minor inconvenience that doesn't stop you from doing what you're doing, that's more or less what a broken bone is to me.”

“You're terrible at answering these kinds of questions.”

“You'd best get used to it if you're going to keep asking stuff.” Hijikata huffs in what's meant to be an amused way, but it turns into something else halfway through and it makes Gintoki look at him. “Feeling okay?”

“Yeah, just really hungry. We're going to continue this discussion, but can I have something to eat while we talk?”

Gintoki looks away again and his shoulders imperceptibly hunch. “Of course... but I need to warn you about something first.”

“Okay....”

“It's entirely possible you'll have no problems eating human food. It's also just as possible that your body will reject that kind of food since you're not wholly human anymore.” Gintoki opens his mouth, closes it, then forges on, “Regardless, you'll have to drink some of my blood every now and then to keep yourself stable.”

Hijikata swallows. “And if I don't?”

“That... depends,” Gintoki says delicately. “Each person is different, but pretty much, your body will slowly deteriorate from the inside until it can no longer function.”

“So, basically,” Hijikata swallows again, “without your blood, I'm gonna die?”

Gintoki's poorly hidden guilt, the space between them, the lack of touching, the skittering eyes – they all make sense when Gintoki says a soft, “Yes.”

**To Be Continued**

 


	15. Different Types of Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With every question answered, another one arises. 
> 
> I can't stop thinking about Silvia, so here's a Vamp fic update for Hijikata's birthday! ((Which is late because something unexpected happened on the 5th and it was an awesome day, but it kept me away from my computer! Sorry about that!))

The silence sits heavily between them following those words and Hijikata stares down at his covered legs. Gintoki isn't even breathing and if he is, then he's doing it so shallowly that Hijikata can't even tell. There's a buzzing inside Hijikata's head and he can't think of anything to say in return. It's all just blank, empty, but then his stomach growls and he at least knows how to break the quiet after that.

“So... about that food....”

“What do you want?”

“Anything.” Hijikata shifts against his pillow and raises a brow as he finally looks back up at Gintoki. “Why're you still here? I'm _starving_.” Gintoki sways to lean in the direction of the door, but he doesn't leave. It takes Hijikata way too long to realize why and he doesn't mean to, but he snaps, “Would you just go? I'll be fine by myself for however many blinks it'll take you!”

Gintoki nods, unfazed and maybe slightly reassured. He disappears through the door so fast Hijikata doesn't even see it open and once he's alone, Hijikata does a quick check of himself. He wriggles his toes and carefully moves his legs, testing them to make sure everything is working as it should. It feels good to move and stretch, but he doesn't feel any different than before. He's stiff from healing and he definitely feels like he has been immobile a few hours too long, but this isn't anything he won't recover from.

Though, that's thanks to Gintoki, by and large. He shudders thinking about it and even if he can't focus on anything, he can still _feel_ everything.

“There wasn't much down there,” Gintoki says as he returns and Hijikata startles at the sound. “I got something that should be easy to digest.”

Hijikata eyes the huge bowl he can see. “Is that soup?”

Gintoki nods and places the tray on Hijikata's lap without touching him. Just looking at it, Hijikata knows why Gintoki has picked this and he shudders again, but his appetite remains. It's a simple soup, broth based with many finely diced vegetables, and his mouth waters at the smell of it. Hijikata eagerly raises the food to his mouth, but stops halfway.

“What'll happen if my body rejects this?”

“It won't kill you,” Gintoki replies. “I wouldn't let you eat if I thought it was dangerous.”

“Worst case?”

“You throw it all back up and get the shakes for awhile.”

“And the best case?”

“Nothing happens.”

“If I can eat, will I still have to...?”

Hijikata doesn't know how to say it, so he just waves the food in Gintoki's direction and hopes he gets it.

“Try eating first and we'll go from there.”

With a slight pause, Hijikata takes a tentative bite, chews the tiny vegetable morsels, and swallows. The only thing that happens after several long moments is that his stomach rumbles, loudly asking for more. All too happy to comply, Hijikata snarfs down the food and can't bring himself to stop until the plate is completely clean. Gintoki watches him closely the whole time and only comments once to softly remind Hijikata to chew.

“Those two were acting weird earlier,” Hijikata says between bites when he can't handle the quiet anymore. “I've never seen Sougo so much as look twice at even the prettiest women.”

Gintoki waves a dismissive hand. “It's a passing infatuation.”

Hijikata freezes with his spoon almost at his lips. “So he _is_ into you?”

“In a sense.”

“Does everyone act that way around you?”

“All smitten and glossy eyed?”

“That's one way of putting... whatever Sougo is.”

“Reactions vary,” Gintoki replies and shrugs. “That human has it bad, but I've seen worse.”

“Was I like that?”

“No... not really.”

Hijikata glares at him with a mouth full of food, then prods after he swallows, “Not really?”

“You're difficult to explain.”

Gintoki gives no indication that he's going to supply anything further and Hijikata almost prompts him, but thinks better of it. That can be a conversation for another time, not when he's stuffing his face and can potentially spew it all over himself should Gintoki say something embarrassing. So, Hijikata keeps eating and he doesn't stop until there's nothing left in the bowl. For good measure, he downs the water Gintoki has supplied for him and empties the glass. Afterward, he sits and stares at the bowl while ignoring Gintoki's relentless stare.

“I just ate a ton of food.”

“You did, yeah.”

“Doesn't seem like anything is coming back up.”

“No, you appear fine.”

Hijikata shifts his weight and raises a hand to touch his throat. His stomach isn't rumbling anymore, but something doesn't seem right... at least, not quite normal.

“Does it still hurt?” Gintoki asks.

Hijikata shakes his head. “Just feels weird, probably because it was either broken or ripped open not too long ago.”

Gintoki removes the tray and sits casually on the edge of the bed. Hijikata has noticed that the space between them doesn't close and that's becoming more and more irritating. He knows what Gintoki is doing and it's not going to last if Hijikata can help it.

“So, I can eat and I feel fine,” Hijikata says after a lengthy silence as they wait some more. “Does this mean I won't need to... to –”

“Drink my blood?” Gintoki supplies and Hijikata's cheeks warm as he nods. Thankfully, Gintoki doesn't dwell on it and goes on, “No matter what, you'll always need to.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Hijikata ducks his head and takes a deep breath. “Does it disgust you?”

“I don't really know,” Hijikata answers truthfully. “I don't think it's gross when you do it, but the idea of doing it myself is... weird.”

“It takes some getting used to.”

“I can imagine.”

Gintoki looks down at his hands and says, “If it helps, your instincts will kick in when you need them to. You go too long without what you need, your body will take over for you.”

“And I'll want to bite someone?”

“No, you don't have the fangs for it, so I don't think you'll have the impulse.”

“So... I'll just be hungry?”

“It's a bit more than that, but yeah, so far as I know. I was never a hybrid, which means I can only go off of secondhand knowledge.”

That's a very sobering thought and Hijikata suddenly feels restless. He wriggles his legs again and frowns down at how strange they're still being.

“I wanna go to the bathroom and wash up.”

Gintoki is at his side in an instant and offers his arm. It's slow going at first as Hijikata works to get his legs under him and then works harder to get them to move right. Gintoki remains a solid anchor and lets Hijikata take his time testing the limits of his healing body. It takes longer than maybe it should, but they make it to the bathroom and Hijikata leaves Gintoki on the other side of the door. Gintoki makes it clear he doesn't like it, but like hell is Hijikata going to have Gintoki in the bathroom with him while he takes a piss.

Hijikata does more than just relieve himself and he spends long enough cleaning himself that Gintoki paws – taps, really – at the door to make sure he's okay. By the time he's done, he feels much better and much more like himself. He's clean, his face and mouth are washed, he has inspected his own healing body, and the whole thing has exhausted him.

“Oh, good,” Gintoki remarks when Hijikata opens the door, “I was just about to let myself in.”

“Don't pretend like you didn't know exactly what I was doing the whole time thanks to that hearing you're always bragging about.”

“I wouldn't say I brag.”

“Agree to disagree.”

Hijikata forces himself to walk into the room without help, but he's shaking as he slips back under the covers. He slumps against the pillows and sighs in satisfaction. It's so comfortable, in fact, that he can't even be angry over the obvious fatigue hanging over him. Gintoki sits on the edge of the bed again and Hijikata pats the space next to him.

“Get over here.” Gintoki moves so slowly that Hijikata has to roll his eyes. “You did what you had to do, bastard, I'm not upset.”

“You realize you _should_ be upset, right?”

“No, I _should_ be dead,” Hijikata retorts and Gintoki wrinkles his nose. “I'm alive because of what you did... I can't be upset about that.”

Once he's close enough, Hijikata wraps an arm around Gintoki's neck and pulls him in close. Gintoki comes easily and Hijikata is able to press their mouths together with no issue. Hijikata needs this and he's convinced that Gintoki does, too. A bit of reassurance after such a traumatic experience is basically a requirement and it's something they can both gain from.

At Hijikata's prompting, Gintoki settles in next to him and Hijikata is able to give himself up to soft lips and a secure grip. His body feels drained and heavy still, but Gintoki's hand cups the back of Hijikata's head to keep him in just the right place for them to kiss fully. The sound of their lips parting and coming back together is enough to make Hijikata's face heat, but this is hardly leading up to anything frenzied. The way Gintoki lightly nibbles on Hijikata's bottom lip every now and then makes it clear that he _wants_ more, but won't be _taking_ more.

The burn in the back of Hijikata's throat gets a little brighter, but he ignores it. He pushes away all thoughts of being ripped apart and focuses only on Gintoki. It's an easy thing to do and soon, everything Gintoki is doing is filling his head. Hijikata's eyes are closed and though Gintoki is difficult to read, Hijikata likes to think that he's steadily relaxing as their bodies become more intertwined. They stop kissing only long enough for Gintoki to get under the covers with him and that's when their legs tangle comfortably.

Slowly, the remaining aches in Hijikata's body even out and tension eases from him. The reality of not being entirely human anymore seems distant and unimportant compared to the way Gintoki pauses to nose gently at his cheek. He notices that Gintoki is making a point not to go anywhere toward Hijikata's neck and that's fine, making out and feeling Gintoki's solid body against his is as good as a balm. His fingers thread mindlessly through Gintoki's hair and he slides his hand down to land on a broad shoulder. Gintoki's arms are around him, cradling him, and he's so damn tired that he can only find comfort in the gesture.

He aims to touch Gintoki's cheek next, but misjudges in his haze and his fingers brush Gintoki's neck instead. Gintoki doesn't seem to mind, but Hijikata does and his eyes fly open to stare sightlessly at the ceiling. His throat burns in a singular throb and the exact moment he freezes, Gintoki takes notice and stops. Gintoki must have some idea what Hijikata's going through because his lips twitch into a faint smile that's maybe a bit sad.

Hijikata swallows against the feeling in his throat and his fingers move, brushing more firmly against Gintoki's neck. There's no heartbeat, but Hijikata can imagine there is one. He doesn't know how that works, but it's like he can _feel_ a heartbeat that isn't there. He can sense the flow of blood even though there's nothing pumping it and his throat seems to ignite at the thought.

“Does it hurt?”

Hijikata starts to nod, but it turns into a shake, which makes the movement jerky. It's uncomfortable, the burning, but it doesn't necessarily hurt. His tongue feels too big for his mouth, like it's swollen, but neither feeling is what he can qualify as pain.

He swallows with effort and rasps, “I don't wanna do this yet.”

Gintoki nods and takes Hijikata's hand to pull it away from his neck with a comforting squeeze. It's that little gesture that allows a huge gust of breath to come bursting out of Hijikata. He hadn't realized he'd locked up that much or that a cold sweat has erupted over his skin. It must be disgusting to Gintoki and his heightened sense, but if it is, he makes no indication and doesn't move away.

“Try to sleep,” Gintoki says and rests Hijikata's hand on his chest. “With more sleep, you should feel more like yourself and we can sort out the rest when you wake.”

Hijikata takes a deep breath and at Gintoki's prompting, he closes his eyes. The throbbing dulls and slowly subsides, but even as he steadily drifts off, the feeling doesn't entirely go away.

**To Be Continued**

 


End file.
